The age-herald., 1902-01-19
NORTHERN CITIES . GROWING FASTER Census Director Explains Why South Makes Best Showing URBAN POPULATION TOBLAME Increase of Large Cities of the North Is Very Great, While the South
 Doubles Up On Cities
 Under 10000.
URBAN POPULATION OBLAME

Washington, January 1S.-The director of the census today gave out statement regarding the growth or urban popula- tion north and south which shows the following facts:
 The large cities, taken collectively are growing nearly twice as rapidly as tae rest of the country the per cent of pop ulation of northern states living in large cities is nearly three times as great as the corresponding cities in the south. The north has a rate of increase no larger than that of the south The large cities in the north are growing much fas- ter than those of the same size in the south. but this difference is balanced by an extreme rapid growth of small towns and cities in the south. and especially by the high rate of increase of southern rural population. The statement says the result seems parydoxal. but the figures are correct.
 Director Merriam's statement Is de- signed to explain how the deduction that the south for the first time is now grow ing as rapidly as the north harmonizes with the well known facts that in the north the proportion of inhabitants liv- ing in cities in much larger than in the south and that as a result cities increase in population much more ra ,idly than country districts.
 Three Times as Great.
 The statement shows that in the north the proposition of the population living in large cities Is more than three times as great as it is in the south. The proportion living in cities of over 25oO0 inhabitant increased 40 per cent between 1890 and l9OO, partly by the growth of the 1A cities Of that sizesiM 1890 and partly by the ad- dition during the following ten years of 36 other cities to the list. The population of the country outside rnese cities ia- creased between 1890 and 1900, lAs pet cent. The 160 cities of the United States each of which had over zcssao Inhabitants | in 1900, increased in .bopnis 4ion 32.5 per cent between 1890 and 1900. the rest of tnes United States. excluding Alaska and the recent insnlar accessions, increased III per cent.
 Of the total population of 75.so4555 in continental United States. 19l71s,912 or 25.9 per cent, live in cities of 25,0O0 in- habitants or more. The proportion of in- habitants of the three sections - North, South and West--into which the census divides the United States, is as follows
 North--Total population 47. 370. e9g. popu- lation of cities of 25,O00 or more 16 10s.5So, or 34 per cent
 south's Population 24,52S,527.
 south-Total population 24,523,527 cities l of 25000 or more 2, 4sS.553, or 10 per cent. , West-Tota population 4,091349, cities | of 25,000 or more 1,033.179. or 25 per cent. | The per cent of increase of population living in places of sizes indicated from 1890 to 1900 by~sections rolIows Twenty-Five Thousand and Over = North 42.2, South 31, West f.3, in the United States fl.
 Eight to Twenty-Five Thousand--North 22.7, South 26.9 West 17.s, in the United States 2S.1. s
 Four to Eight Thousand-North. ZIG, South S7.s. West 5o.7. in the United States 36.7 i fs #H
 Incorporated Places of Less Than 4O00-- North 27.9, South A.4 West 46.5. in the United States B.
 Rural-North 1.2, South 179, West g. in the United States 9.4 7tt
 The figures, concludes the statement, shows that the present growth of popula- tion is a resultant in the North of very rapid growth of large cities. slower growth of small cities and a very slight growth in the country, and a resultant in the South of a rate of growth of large cities below the average for the coun- try, balanced by a striking growth of small cities and an increase of rural pop ulation twice as fast as the average for the United States.