The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-23
COLOR IN THE CENSUS.

COLOR IN THE CENSUS.
A recent unauthorized statement that the
colored population in the United States is
increasing faster than the white population
has been used in some quarters TO justify
measures TO maintain white mans gov
ernment'-the euphemistic phrase applied
to acknowledgements of negroes. The state
ment is not true The last census report
shows that the white population, native
and foreign born. increased from 43, 4O3, 400
in 1880 to 55,166,1S4 in 1890, and to 6699O7SS in
1900. while the negro population, including
all persons Of negro descent as mulattoes,
quadroons and octoroons, increased from
6.5s0,793 in 1850 to 7,4SS.7SS in $780, and to
s.S4O, 7s9 in 1900. During the decade from
1890 to 1900 the colored population increased
1852 COL, or ISL per cent, while the whites
during the same period increased II, S24, 604,
or PA per cent. AS these figures include
all persons with any African blood, they
show If they show anything, that the negro
population is losing instead of gaining
ground as against the white population.
And the census report shows that the con-
dition exists in the Southern as well as the
Northern States. In what is called the
South Atlantic division, including Della
ware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Vir-
ginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia and Florida, the white
population increased during the last decade
1873 per cent, while the negro population
increased 143 per, cent. In the South Cen
trail division, including the States of Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Texas, Indian Territory, Okla
homa and Arkansas, the whites increased
29.1 per cent, and the negroes 1919 per cent.
Putting the facts in another form, the CEN
shows that in 1890 the whites consti-
tuted SIS per cent of the entire population
of the country and negroes 11.9 per cent,
while in 1900 the whites were SIS per cent.
of the whole and negroes were 11.6 per cent.
In only five States and one Territory did
the negroes constitute a larger per cent.
of the entire population in 1900 than in 1890,
and these were West Virginia, Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Okla
homa. South Carolina and Mississippi are
the only two States in which the negro
element predominates. In 1900 the popula-
ton of South Carolina numbered 557sO7
white persons and 1921 persons of negro
descent, the latter constituting 5S.4 per cent
of the entire population, as against 59.S per
cent. in 1890. In the last census Missis-
sippi had GAL 200 white inhabitants and 9O7,-
go of negro descent, the latter constituting
$40 per cent in 1890. In 1890 the negroes
were in a majority in Louisiana, but by
the last census they represented only AL
per cent. of the entire population. Taking
a broader view of the subject, the census
returns of every decade since 1890 show a
steady increase in the percentage of whites
and steady decrease in the percentage of
coIored persons, the former having in
creased from SOL per cent of the whole in
1890 to SIS per cent. of the whole in 1900,
and the latter having decreased from 1913
per cent. of the whole in 1870 to 116 per
cent OF the whole in 1900. In other words,
in 1870 the negro element constituted very
nearly one-ffth of the entire population OF
the country, while in 1900 it represented
barely one-ninth of the total population.
From whatever point of view the returns of
the last and of previous censuses are con-
sidered they prove that the colored popu-
lation. instead of increasing more rapidly
than the white. is increasing less rapidly
Whether there is any racial, sociological
or economic reason for this the Journal
does not undertake to say 1t simply pre-
ports. They disprove the assertion that
the negro element of the population is
gaining in numbers on the white element
and, CT course, the justification of disfran-
chisement of negro citizens based on this