The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-22
GROWTH OF STATES.


feel proud of the more than so pc
cent growth in population during TIL
last decade The fickertail stat,
stands fifth of the entire U. S. in per
centage of increase.
Not single state east of the Mis-.
sissippi river showed growth of ovel
so per cent in the last ten years-whilt
eleven Of the states west Of the Mis-.
sissippi grew so per cent and more
These are Washington, Oregon, Idaho
Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming
California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Arizona
and New Mexico.
The growth of other states west OF
the Mississippi affords a strange puz-
zle. South Dakota, Colorado and Utah
ranged from 80 to so per cent in
growth-while Texas and Arkansas got
into the class between 20 and 30 Der
cent Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota
and Louisiana varied from 10 to 90 per
cent in their growth-while Iowa and
Missouri footed the list-Iowa actually
losing over 1000 in population.
Iowa papers attribute this bad show
ing to the high price of farm lands,
which has forced young farmers to
go further west. Much the same ex-
cuse is given by Missourians. That
state was fortunate in having three
large cities, st. Louis, Kansas City and
st. Joseph-which attracted enough
population from outside the state to
prevent a slump in Missourfs total.
The states making the largest gains
east Of the Mississippi were Florida
and New Jersey. Next came New
York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
Massachusetts and Connecticut-vary-
ing from 20 to 80 per cent in their
gains States making a gain Of from
10 to 20 per cent were: Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, ohio,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi
The states whose gains fell below 10
per cent were: Maine, New Hamp
shire, Vermont, Indiana, Kentucky.
Tennessee, Maryland and Delaware.
A careful study of these figures
shows that transportation facilities
doubtless played a vital part in the
growth of the states for the past de-
cade. Maine, New Hampshire, Della
ware and Maryland are the only coast
states which fell under the 10 per cent
mark and the sterility of the soil off,
set any advantages offered by water
rates.
Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee
all in a row from north to south-of-
fer an interesting problem for the stu
dent Of the nations growth. All three
showed an increase of less than 10
per cent. Indiana, with it's thriving
capital and booming new steel CITY.
Gary, could not attract enough per
sons to its cities to keep pace with
its neighbors, Illinois and Ohio and
Michigan, all three of which showed
growth of from 10 to 20 per cent. Ken
lucky likewise failed to keep up with
Its border states Of Ohio, West Vir-
ginfa, Illinois and Virginia-but shared
the slower growth of Missouri Ten
nessee and Indiana.
Chicago and Lake Michigan's supe
rior transportation facilities saved IL
linois from sharing the slow growth of
all the states which touch it excepting
All the older states in the Ohio and
Mississippi valleys are clearly in need
Of an awakening. Where the farm
lands have been developed and abund-
ant cheap land is not available on easy
terms for struggling settlers there is
no growth and frequently there is
falling off.
Iowa, without a great city and ex-
tensiye manufacturing interests, has