Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-17
loWA,s POPULATION.

Boston Transcript: Iowa has lost
population and all the world wonders
all the world except Iowa. Iowa
doesn't wonder and Iowa doesn't care
Iowa is all right There is no more
self-satisfied state in the union than
the HaWkeye. Even Massachusetts
Is no more complacent. And it doesn't
make any difference to Iowa whether
It has as many people now as it had in
1900, or not. Quality not quantity
counts, says Iowa. 1t has so long been
used to calling itself and hearing it.
self called ''the best state In the union
that it has set that designation down
in the list of axioms and let it go at
that. Ten years ago when Roosevelt
was campaigning there for the vice
presidency he spoke Of Iowa in that
way and of course that settled it.
But there may be those who regard
this loss of population as unfortunate.
Iowans really do not think so and there
is no regret in their tones when they
explain why this condition prevails. 1t
really does rise out Of Iowa's especi-
ally prosperous and unruffled condi-
ton. 1t is a state OF very quiet temper
and conservative tendencies. It never
had boom and it never saw col
lapse. 1t is purely agricultural state
having a few factories in the larger
communities, none of which reaches
100000, and two or three coal mining
districts. So there are no industrial
or immigrant problems of any con-
sequence. The price Of farm lands
has so risen in the past twelve years as
to almost treble the value of these
lands in the state. This Jump has
been excellent for the landowners, but
rather discouraging for the young
Iowans who wished to farm for them
ELVES. Thousands of these have gone
into Texas and other states Of the
southwest and thousands have gone
to West Canada And since IL has no
factories it does not attract immi-
grants and doesn't want them. That
is the sole reason for the states de-
cline in population. In almost any
other state in the union as old as
Iowa the same is true of it's agricul-
f,,ral sections. Undoubtedly it is true
Of Maine, New Hampshire and Yer
mont. Probably 1t is true Of Massa-
chusetts.
For Iowa is an old fashioned, con-
seryative commonwealth It's country
towns are very like those of Massa-
chusetts in temper, calm and lack of
excitement. Nobody works hard and
nobody goes hungry. 1t was Rollin
Lynde Hart in an Atlantic monthly
paper who called 1t "hopelessly sane"
That pretty well expresses it. Popu-
1;r,, Nh
cranks flourish there. Things run
along in an even channel. There is
no compulsory school attendance law
because it isn't necessary. Every child
goes to school. There is college at
every crossroads and university at
the county seat Iowa has the lowest
proportion of illiteracy of any state.
Nixon Waterman, one Of the best
known Iowans in Boston, is fond Of re-
citing the fact that Iowa produces
more hogs than any other state, which
of course. is true, but is not the whole
truth All the tides of fanaticism and
hard timesism that afflicted every
other transmississippi state missed
Iowa It has never known crop
failure, and is really beginning to be
a little uncomfortable under its pros
perity. Francis Parkman insisted that
Arcadia was not Arcadia: but today
Iowa comes as near Arcadia as any
real material thing can. Yet all it's
people are not Boeotian, and in states
it has always ranked high. A
few years ago it had two members of
the cabinet, and at that time its con
gressional delegation was strongest of
all, while Allison divided with Aldrich
the honor of 'boss of the senate It
has never produced a great poet or a
president, but that doesn't bother it..
It merely insists that it's average is
higher than any other state. And that
is modest when one remembers that it
laims DR.. Albert Shaw! So why should
1t care if some of its sons emigrate to
other lands They'll all come back"
it murmurs, and resumes saving wood.
Speculation is Opposed.
indianapolis, Nov, 15.-The Ameri