Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-06
M,ssouRTs POPULATION.

Since the census bureau has report
ed on Missouri's population, showing
that the state was only saved loss or
1000 by the growth Of st. Louis and
Kansas City, the two largest cities, the
officials Of that state have been seeking
about for a reason in the decline OF the
rural population. State immigration
I Commissioners John H. Curran has
made an examination Of the returns.
We has found that out of forty-four
ounties north Of the Missouri river,
tdirty-six show an aggregate decrease
Of 10O,739, while the remaining eight
show an increase Of only 1882.
OF the sixty-eight counties south OF
the river. outside Of st. Louis and Kan
sas City, he found that thirty-three
counties show an increase of 1899,
while thirty-six counties show de-
crease Of 47,387. The aggregate IN
crease is 1882.
All Of these increases occurring IN
North Missouri, according to the I'M
migration commissioner. can be traced
to causes outside Of agricultural de-
velopments while virtually all the de-
creases have resulted from an exodus
of farmers, extending over the entire
ten years, and which has not as yet
ceased.
Commissioner Curran gives sum-
mary of the causes for Missouri's show
ing. He says:
"There are q number Of causes con-
tributing to these shiftings of popula-
ton in the state. The first and most
Z important is the fact that Missouri Is
away behind in the construction OF
good roads. This and other conditions
create adverse social conditions, and
the, lack of amusement, together with
low farm wages as a general thing,
has moved thousands of Missouri
farmers into the cities, st. Louis and
Kansas City profiting and other cities
outside Of the state getting a share.
"The advertising of lands in the
southwest, northwest and Canada has
been engaged in extensively and me-
thodically throughout the state, but
especially north of the Missouri river
in the more prosperous sections. Hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars have been
spent and even now thousands are be-
ing spent in Systematically advertising
various sections of North America. Car
loads Of Missouri farmers only recently
have gone into the swamp lands of
Florida attracted by brilliant colored
advertising.
.tThis emphasizes the fact that Mis-
souri, not only must advertise her vast
resources in order to attract home
seekers to her unoccupied lands, but
must keep up the work Of informing
Missourians Of her resources, so that
II they have money to invest or wish
= change their location they will know
they can do no better than to stay in
Missouri"
Iowa's population has not been given
out but many observers in this state
are prepared to find loss in popula-
ton.
i All the Iowa cities thus far heard
from have made gains, but losses are
expected in many rural communities.
II loss is shown it will be due to some
of the same causes that were found in
Missouri. Iowa is not handicapped by
unoccupied land as Missouri is, but
Iowa has suffered by the exodus to the
southwest and northwest which have
been systematically advertised, and
Iowa has suffered, too, from the bur-
den of bad roads. There has been an
Improvement in the road situation, due
to the road dragging over the state.
Some steps now must be taken to off
set the advertising campaigns carried
on by the other states. Iowa must adj
yertise her resources If she Is to enjoy
continued growth.
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