New-York tribune., 1910-07-22
THE 1870 CENSUS.

] Rhode TsILnd. the smallest il area o.
/ the forrv-six states. is the first 10 have
/ its population in 1910 announced by the
/ Census Bureau. The count was expedlt-
/ ed because the Legislature Of Rhode Isl
and is to meet next month in special ses-
/ sion 10 reapportion representation IN the
two branches Of the Legislature. Ihe
/ census returns show an increase Of popu-
lation in ten years from 42S.956 20 d.
674-at the rate of 266 per cent Tn
doubtedly that increase is greater than
The average for the country al large
which is not likely 10 be more than 20
per cent. Rhode Island Is q thickly set
tied manufacturing state. with prosper
ous industries and is attracting labor
from the other New England States.
from Canada and from Europe 1t Is
growing faster than its neighbors IN
spite of its restricted area. Both Mas
sachusetts and Rhode Island took state
censuses in 1905, and the contrast in the
rates of growth shown was significant.
In the FIVE years from 1900 to 1905 the
population Of assachusetts Increased
only : per cent. while the population OF
Rhode Island increased II per cent.
Since 1903 there has been a sight check
IN growth in Rhode Island. the gain for
the decade being 286 per cent instead Of
IS or a little over. as indicated by the
returns Of the 1905 census.
The state censuses of 1905 showed an
unequal growth in population in various
sections Of the country. In Iowa there
was q loss in the five years. IN Kansas
gain Of per cent, in Michigan Of 4,
in Massachusetts :, Wisconsin s. Wy
oming 10. New York Il. Minnesota and
South Dakota Is, New Jersey and Rhode
Island II and North Dakota 31. The
census Of Oklahoma taken in 1907
showed Il gain OF 7s9 per cent over the
population Of 0klahonn Territory and
the Indian Territory in 1900. That ex-
ceDtional increase was due, Of course, TO
the creation Of the new state and the
stimulus which The prospect Of statehood
had given 70 Development in q rich and
newly opened agricultural region.
The rate Of growth shown in the inter
decenniaI censuses IS likely 10 hold good
for the full decade. except in Okla homa.
II the rate for the Union as q whole is
q bout 20 per cent. the rate for Z major
itv Of the states will be below 20 In
the last three decades q half dozen
states have been forging steadily ahead
They are New York. Pennsylvania and
New Jersey IN rhe East; Illinois. in the
Middle West: Minnesota. in the North
west. and Texas. in the Southwest Their
relative advance is shown most conclu-
sively in the enlargement Of their repre-
sentation in the lower house Of Con
CreSs. Between 1880 and 1900 New
York gained 8 seats. New Jersey 3.
PENNSYLVANIA !. Illinois >. Minnesota /
and Texas = No other state gained
more than TWO seats in that period. and
many states did not increase their repre-
/ returns from scattering counties in
! Texas as if that states population would
reach 400 600. exceeding that Of Mis-
souri, or Of Massachusetts. and nearly
equaIling that Of Ohio. Texas viii prob
s hlv make the largest relative increa Sc
among the big states. and gain four
more seats in The House Of Representa-
tives The other states whose political
power VIII he materially enlarged win
/ he New York, PENNSYLVANIA. New Ter
sev. Illinois. Minnesota and possibly
I North Dakota and California Okla
/ Loma viii also make q Jump in represen-
tation. because i has now only five seats
and was entitled on the census figures
Of 1907 70 seven. II will probably gain
81 least three seats under the reappor-
tiOnment Of 1911