Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-07-19

WEDNESDAY,, JULY 10, 1905.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
A few words from the editor may
not be out of place. While retaining
nominal responsibility for the utter
ances of the paper, it 10 no secret that
the attention of the editor for the past
two wears has been nearly exclusively
devoted to the work OF compiling the
m aterial for the history OF the county
soon to be OF the press. During the
past two months he has been 1t St.
Paul where the typographical work is
being done. The TRIBUNE has been
In good hands, but the editor will be
glad to get back again to get In closer
touch with the readers of the paper
and add his mite in the struggle for
the upbuilding and advancement OF
the community. In the course ct =
very few weeks this historical under.
taking will be successfully completed,
l believe to the reasonable satisfaction
and credit Of all concerned.
Bulletins of the results of the 9th
decennial state census are published
~ the work of compilation progresses.
The returns for Kandiyohi county
were announced last week, and are
published In our news columns. A
little study of the figures may be OF
interest. The total population of the
county IL shown to have increased but
9S2 since the federal census, OF tive
years ago. OF this increase Alb are
credited to Willmar, lal to Raymond,
lOl to Atwater and % TO New London.
1t ia quite probable that there has
been no increase whatever in the rural
population, % the growth OF the re-
naming villages would absorb oil the
increase.
The decrease of population in the
rural districts may be accounted tor
in the consolidation of farms, the
selling party moving with family to
the villages or farther west to buy
cheaper lands. It ia q curious fact
that seven of the first settled towns
reached the maximum Of their popu-
lation in 1885. The gradual and tardy
settlement of the southwestern town.
ships of the county Is mainly respon-
siole for the large increase of the
rural population heretofore. Now,
however, this portion of the county ia
Becoming "a we'll settled % the older
districts, and any further increase
must come by division of the holdings
into smaller farms and better use
being made of the land. r..
The change in the centre of popu
lation of the county is interesting
At the time of the consolidation II
1870 OF Monongalia and Kandiyoh]
counties the former 1.-THE north half Of
the present county had = population
of BIAS and the latter 1,760. In 1873;
the north half of tho county numbered
$500 and the south halt (includine
village OF Willmar i, 04O. The latest
figures show that the south half hat
taken the lead, 7,74O to IL, 658. Omit.
ting the city of Willmar the southern
half still leads in population.
The growth and distribution of the
population is we'll illustrated by the
commissioner districts. The districts
were apportioned in 1870. At tina,
time the first district composed Of
seven sparsely settled towns had but
TIP inhabitants-now 1t numbers 8, 1928
second district of four towns, 965-nov
2,735; third district of five towns
l,440-now 1929; fourth district Of
three towns, 97l-now 1855; fifth dis
trict of five towns, 872-now 2,816
Thus the first district has considerably
more than one-third and not far from
half of the entire. population of the
county. While the difference in popu
lation has been great for many yeare
the county board has shown IN in
disposition to change the time-honored
apportlonment made by the fathers t
suit the conditions Of thirty five years
ago. Three commissioners repres ent
ing less than half of the population
and no more than half of the are,
might % matters now stand on occa
sion control the action of the board
The increase Of population in tn
city of Willmar did not prove q
lsrRe 40 had been expected. The pro
moters OF the Elks lodge claimed 4
find over five thousand population
last spring. While there was . genera
feeling that this was somewhat of .,
exsggeration, It was confidently ex
pected that the 1900 mark would b.
passed. But the work of the emu
merators will stand unless absolute
proof can be adduced that thei
schedules are incomplete. The In
crease - indicated for the five year
10 = trife over twelve percent, or vel
up to the average increase of Mime
sofa towns and villages so far 4