The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1904-08-11

MAJ ~ botAoN VI INV u VII
liz ri sus of the United States.
Just punished by the Department of
Commerce. In their Illustration of So
cial and industrial tendencies of the
country they have a peculiar and per-
ennial value. Some of the facts which
the book presents are not more sur
prising than they are gratifying, or
the reverse. Massed as they are, the
facts themselves are most impressive.
In the one matter of the increase of
population of the United States In the
census period, few realize that the
native born in ten years rose twenty
two per cent. and the foreign born less
than twelve per cent. 1t is apparent
that the hard times were the chief
cause for the comparative decrease of
the foreign born population. AS a
matter of fact. the actual number of
English, Irish, German and French
residents of the United States de-
creased in those ten years, while the
Poles, Hungarians, Russians and Ital-
ians increased by a large per cent.
Not entirely disconnected with the
decline in immigration is the pleasing
demonstration by figures that illiteracy
In the United States is decreasing.
Even with the increase in population
of more than 20 per cent. from 1890 to
1900. the number Of illiterates fell
nearly 10000 in the decade. Yet even
In 1900 there were 6,1SO,OOO persons
ten years old or more in the United
States unable to read or write. While
the negroes in the South are largely
responsible for this huge total, there
are still 100000 whites in the Hitter
ate class. OF the foreign born litter
ates New York State has 25S,OOO or
almost 20 per cent. of the total in the
country. But the Empire State has
in addition Al, 900 natives who cannot
read or write.
In view of the immense throngs of
immigrants that settle in New York
State, it is one of the surprising facts
that the percentage of increase of ma
tive born in the ten years slightly
exceeded the percentage of increase
of foreign born. The showing is con-
trary to that Of nearly every other
populous Eastern State.
FEWER PERSONS TO A DWELL
What might be called family sta
tistics present some novel phases. An
exhibit pleasing to the social reformer
is the demonstration that the average
n11mhQr of nnrCnnc 70 a Iv-o1t.- l.
falling. Thus In 1900 it was 5.3 per-
sons, while in 1890 it was So. New
York State has the unpleasant but
natural pre-eminenoe Of having more
persons to a dwelling ~(seven) than any
other State in the Union. This Is. of
course, due to the tenement houses of
the metropolis.
1t is worthy of note that the percent
age OF homes owned rises generally
with the increase Of farming popula-
ton an falls with the growing pre-
p~onderance Of the industrial classes.
This Is not entirely true of the South.
where the percentage of land owners
is small.
But In New York State the number
OF families owning their homes is
only 33 per cent. and In Massachusetts
1t is only 35. In New York City itself
barely IL per cent. of the population
W their homes, and less than AZ per
cent of these house owners have them
clear of mortgage.
AS between Western farmer and
Eastern farmer, however, the latter is
the landowner. in New York State,
for example. 20 per cent. own their
own farms. against &C N prosperous
Iowa.
The average number Of persons to a
family In the United States is AT, The
average number in O New York State
family Is A. Even in the old Bay
State, the reputed home of the non
marrying person of both sexes, the
average number of persons to a family
Is 4.8. But the New York City aver
age equals the national (4.O. Con-
trary to the accepted tradition, Brook
lyn has an average below any borough
(4.6), while Queens reaches AS and
Richmond 40.
SOME MARRIAGE STATISTICS.
Akin to the distribution along fam
HES Is the matter of marital condition.
In 1900 the percentage of married
among all persons fifteen years or older
was 55.5: Of single, SO; of widowed, al
most s per cent, and of divorced. four
tenths of n per cent. To Judge from
the figures the coast States are the
best for manageable women, 60 per
cent. being wives against so per cent.
In the Central West and "a per cent
In the East. Contrariwise the Pacific
Coast shows the smallest per cent. of
married men, 45 per cent, against a
general average Of 55 per cent. in the
East and Middle West.
OF all the States in the Union Yer
mont has the smallest per cent. of un-
married males over fifteen years of
age. 30 per cent Maine is not far be-
hind with SO. The national average
exceeds 40. and New York State is be-
low 1t. 37.6. OF unmarried women New
Mexico has less than 20 per cent, as