Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-02-15
IOWA HAS STOPPED
Decrease i'm Population Occurred
in First Five Years of the
Ten Years.
STATE is NOW PRosPERING.
Authority Declares Hawkeye State
Inhabitants Have Ceased to
Emigrate and State Start
ed to Grow.

Prosperity, high-priced agricul-
tural lands and the influx of the
young people of the state to the
large cities of the surrounding
states are the primary causes for
the decrease Of three-tenths of one
per cent in the population of Iowa
in the past ten years. This is the
belief of j. A. Wrightman of. Des
Moines. secretary of the Iowa Man
ufacturers' Association. Mr.. Wright
man is emphatic in the belief that
the state is radiply overcoming
the slight decrease in population of
the last decade and that the next
census would show normal
growth.
This widely advertised decrease
in population is most unfortunate,
said Mr.. Wrightman, because it
is certain to be more or less en-
barassing during several years to
come. Personally / do not think
that it amounts to anything, but
nevertheless it is bound to crop up
and be source of annoyance.
think that If the census statistics
for the neighboring states of Illi-
nois and Missouri are studied, it
will be discovered that in the rural
districts they have considerable
more of a decrease than the rural
districts of Iowa.
''In this state, devoted almost
entirely to agriculture, with no
large cities of the size of Minne-
apolis, st. Paul or Omaha, a large
number of young people have flock
ed to the big cities, and consequent
ly the population of the farms has
been depleted. The high price of
farm lands, with much lower val
ues prevailing in South Dakota and
Nebraska, also has initiated in fa-
var of a heavy emigration of the
farming portion of the population.
When it is considered that the cities
in the state have all shown an in
crease in size, although not suffi-
ciently to compare with the larger
cities Of the surrounding states.
some light may be let in on this
Gaeslioa. re neis .lsskat.ss sSees,-
with less farming territory and
larger cities have thus made bet
ter showing in the federal census.
lone other feature to be con-
sidered," continued Mr.. Wright
man, sis that the records will show
that the decrease occurred in the
first five years of the last decade.
period of general emigration to
cheaper farm land. Approximately
10000 people left the state dur
ing this time. However, in the past
five years there was a gain of 49,
600 in population, so that the loss
for the ten years amounted to only
1000 people, decrease of less
than l per cent to be exact.
Mr.. Wrightman expressed con-
siderable elation over the fact that
the manufacturers association has
finally established a traffic bureau.
for the benefit of the manufacturers
situated all over the state of Iowa.
This was one of the primary OBJ
jects of the organization of the as
ISOLATION, and since his induction
into office as secretary three years
ago Mr.. Wrightman has been en-
deavoring to secure competent
man to act as traffic manager. The
new bureau will be completely
equipped to handle all matters In
connection with the traffic condi-
tions affecting manufacturing in
dustries in the state.