The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-07-19
CENSUS BUREAU GIVES OUT STA
TISTICS FOR NINE SOUTH
ERN COTTON STATES.
BOTH RACES LEAVING COUNTRY

The downward Trend Is, However,
Shown to Be Greater Among the
Whites Than Negroes. COmpar-
isons Are Made of Census Statis-
tics of 1900 and 1910.
Preliminary statistics showing the
consistent and constant cityward
movement of the white and negro
population of the nine southern cot
ton states, based upon the returns
for the censuses of 1910, 1900 and
1890, are contained in a comparative
statement prepared under the super
vision of Mr.. William C. Hunt, chief
stati8tician for population, in the bu-
reau of the census, and issued by
Acting Census Director Falkner. The
figures are preliminary and subject
to necessary revision later, but it is
believed that there will be no mate
rial change in the percentages stat
ed.
The nine cotton states concerned
are: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina and
Tennessee.
Of the white people of these states
1873 per cent lived in urban areas
in 1910, IA per cent in 1900, and
lie per cent in 1890. Of the total
negro population of the same states
the percentages living in urban areas
were III per cent in 1910, lat per
cent in 1900, and 11.8 per cent in
1890.
1t appears from these percentages
that the changes in the proportion of
the total negro population of these
states living in the urban sections
have been about the same as those
in the proportion of the total whites
who live in cities. Both white and
negro show a decided movement to-
ward the city. From an urban pro-
portion of lie per cent in 1890 the
whites have increased to 1879 per
cent in 1910. During the same peri
cd the urban proportion of negroes
increased from 11.9 to 17.7 per cent.
While the proportion of whites and
negros living in city and country can
be readily measured some care is
required in stating the rate of in
crease. This difficulty arises from
the fact that portions of the rural
area are continually changing into
urban districts. Urban population.
as defined by the census office, is
composed Of those groups that live
in cities and other incorporated
places having at least $500 inhabi-
tants. In order to obtain a definite
measure Of the rate of increase it rs
necessary that the rate pertain to the
same area for each census period.
Rates of increase, calculated for the
places that were classed as urban or
rural in 1890 are as follows:
The white population of the 1890
cities increased 27.6 per cent be-
tween 1890 and 1900 and ass per
cent between 1900 and 1910. Sim
liar rates Of increase for the urban
negroes are 23.3 per cent in the de-
cade 1890 to 1900 and 30.5 per cent
IN the decade 1900-1918. For the
rural sections of 1890 the rate of in
crease for the white population was
46.7 between 1890 and 1900, and
Ai.3 between 1900 and 1910. The
increase Of the negroes in the same
rnral sections was 17.5 between 1890
and 1909 and S.3 between 1909 and
1910.
A comparison OF these rates of in
crease brings out clearly the city
ward trend for both races, but shows
IT 10 be even greater for the whites
IMAM for the negroes. The rate of
increase for the urban whites ad-
Vanced FROM 27.6 to 1875, or a differ
ence of 10 per cent, while the rate
ior The urban negroes advanced from
z5.2 to 30.5, or a difference of ~
per cent.
The rate of increase in the rural
sections was less for both races in
the decade ending in 1910 than for
mat ending in 1900, but the decline
III the rate of increase was very much
greater for the negroes than for the
whites. For the whites the change
was from 1877 per cent in the first
decade to 1913 per cent in the last
~ years, a difference of A per cent.
For the negroes the change was from
10 per cent to S.3 per cent, diff
ference of 90 per cent.