Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-26

tiOus young men Of the eastern states as
well-an almost prohibitive wall, turning
the tide OF immigration round US and into
well-advertised northern Minnesota Dako'
Ia. Manitoba and Alberta. IL is selt-evident
that the poor young farmer OF Sweden OF
Norway, with 500 saved or borrowed for
investment IN land, will naturally prefer
100 acres In Manitoba OF elsewhere at $ an
acre to 1--WE acres In iowa at 500 an acre
Let me partially verify these figures by
a glance at the state census Of 1885 in com
parison with that OF 1895.
Twenty years ago Adair county, Iowa,
with a population of l4lO2 had 1,523 for
eign-born citizens. In 1905 1t has popula-
ton Of Is, Ill. with LILO foreign-born.
Adams county: Population in 1855, H.
l45; foreign born, i.165. In 1905, population.
l. Do; foreign-born, 80.
'Allamakee: Population in 1856. 1885
foreign-born, 5,156 In 1905, population. 49,
70: foreign-bor 1886
Benton: Population in 1885, 23,so2; for
eign-born. APIS. In 1895, population, 24.ll7;
foreign-born, 2s57.
1T will thus be seen that while Iowa $
losses IN nativo-borh citizens ten, fifteen
and twenty years ago. by emigration to the
Dakotaa, Louisiana. northern California
and other regions inviting immigration,
we're made good by emigration from Scandi-
nayia, Germany, otc., the increased price OF
land In Iowa OF late years has In a large
measure shut off this new supply of popula-
tlon, turning aside to other fields the thou
sands who, by reason OF individual and
family associations, coupled with the many
material advantages offered by the state,
would naturally be drawn to Iowa,
Railroad DETERMINATION.
81 am aware that some would attribute
this falling of In population to freight dis
ordinations against our state. That there
are and for years have been unjust dis
ordinations against Iowa jobbers, stock
men and farmers have been proved over
and over again While in some measure
the injustice has been lessened, the fact Of
unjust discrimination yet remains. At the
present time our stockmen are aroused as
they never have been before in their de-
termination to obtain relief their purpose
being to unite with aggrieved stockmen in
other states in carrying to congress their
demand for relief That this condition has
hindered the general prosperity Of the state
can scarcely be denied; but the fact re-
mains that in the face of this long-standing
discrimination our farm property has
steadily advanced in value. our manufac-
turers have increased in number and i'm
volume of business and all the principal
shipping points of the state show an in
crease in population-the principal shipping
point Des Moines, having an increase of
13 2s9 in five years.
There are those who account for the
falling off by attributing II to the greater
thoroughness of the national census of 1900,
owing TO the larger compensation per capita
paid the nations census enumerators over
that paid by the state. There may be some
thing in this; but, in the judgment Of those
who know most about it, there never has
been state census quite as exhaustive as
the one now nearing completion. In many
instances those having It in charge have
not been content with first returns, but
have followed them with thorough local in
vestigation, fully satisfying themselves that
their final figures are close approximations
to actual facts.
mo; search where you will for the cause
of our decrease in population, or, II you
choose to put It that way, the reason OF our
failure to increase in population, at the end
of your search you will find the conclusion
forced upon you that the general cause is
no more and no less than too much pros
perity at home; too much cheap land else
where"