Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-09
POPULATION OF COUNTRY DIS.
TRlcTs FALLS TO ass PER
CENT OF WHOLE.
WAS sig PER CENT
TEN YEARS AGO
lyon County Shows Greatest Gain in
Rural Population and Mahaska
County Largest Decrease - More
Malss Than Females in State-Cen-
sus Figures Dispute Those Of Pro-
esdina Federal Enumeration.
pecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Sept. s.-The rural pop
ulation Of Iowa Is now 45.S per cent OF
the whole. Ten years ago it was ol.Z
per cent. That there has been an ac-
tual decline In rural population is GER
tain. The present rural population
Is l,080,116 as against 1,l42,ll4 ten
years ago. But the loss was more
than made up by a gain OF 2lO,0l4 IN
the urban population In the same tune.
The county having greatest gain OF
rural population Is Lyon and the coun-
ty Of largest decrease Of rural popu-
lation Is Mahaska
Tho county Of greatest density OF
rural population Is still Monroe, be-
I cause OF tho fact that a large part OF
the mining population lives outside OF
\ the towns. Scott county comes next
\ and then Polk. The density Of rural
U population ranges from 45.4 per square
! mile in Monroe to 1876 per square mile
y in Dickinson. But a feature OF the
Ncensus report Is that it shows COM
| parattveIy even distribution among all
| the counties Of the state Of the rural
population.
4 The number Of births in Iowa aver
ages about $500 and the number of
4 deaths 11ee.11111, which indicates that
\ Iowa people are doing their share in
keeping UP the population OF the earth
The census returns show that Of the
present population of Iowa 1,551.914
were born in the state. The number
Of Iowans who were born in the Unit
ed States, but not in Iowa, is 541,9s3.
OF those born in Iowa there Is this
division: Males. 7so.50s; females I'll.
COS. The coloreds population, which IN
cludes all not white of whatever race.
numbers 1914. OF which 1892 are
males and 1872 are females.
More Males Than Females.
The males In Iowa outnumber the
females, the numbers being: Males,
1,212,Sss; females, 1.145,o7S.
There are 5os,431 persons in the
state Of militia age, and 6s4,9s9 males
I OF voting age and native or natural ;
lied
Dividing ~ population into age
classes. the following Is found, Per-
sons Of school age, 1885; persons
sons Of school age, 755.s25; persons
lover school age, 1,3s3.3s1. There was
an increase In ten years of IL per cent
in the number Of persons under school
(Ages a decrease Of III per cent in the.
ynnmber Of persons Of school age. and
an increase Of 12.S per cent in the
number Of persons over school age.
"a The average number Of persons in
Iowa to the square mile Is 424 and
the average number Of persons resid
ing outside cities and towns is 1874 per
square mile.
Growth Slow but Steady.
The growth OF Iowa, not only in ma
terial things but in population, has
been in the past two decades slow and
steady but sure, and at no time has
there been an actual loss Of popula-
ton for the state as a whole. There
has been no ten-year period nor FIVE
year period that has Witnessed any
going backward in population. There
has been shifting from county to coun-
~ or to section, and from country to
town, but the steady outflow Of popu-
/ iation has been at all times offset by
\ increase due to natural increase and
immigration from other states.
This is one of the main facts that
must be inferred from careful analy-
sis Of the census statistics for 1915 and
comparison with other state and fed
eral enumerations. It is something
that could not have been demonstrated
until now. even tho many Iowa people
have felt all along that the tradition
| about Iowa's loss of population" as
/ sfidI;Ha W the federal census COMPARE
/ sons was myth.
4 H.
| lation, which Is a phenomenon COM
mon to all the middle and eastern
states where cities are making giant
strides. resulted in reversal of CON
ditions In Iowa just prior to 1916, so
that since that time the urban. or city
and town, population has been greater
tAan the total rural population. For
many years Iowa,s rural population
was in the majority.
Federal Figures Disputed.
9 The 2.36S, 066 population now Of rec
ssrd for iowa, the result Of the 1915
census shows by comparison with the
previous state enumerations, steady
increase OF population, tho not as great
now as in the past. The federal cen
sus counts when compared show a
sudden jump up for 1900 and a big
drop to 1910 The latest enumeration
OF Iowa is no wconvincing that there
Was no such decline. The just pub
lished Iowa census shows that IL an
arbitrary number. such as 100000 be
deducted from the federal census
count for 1900, and say $4,000 BE add
ed for 1910. then comparison OF all
the enum erations. state and federal.
will show fairly uniform and steady
increase Of population. and the federal
enuinerations will harmonize well
, with the more perfect state enumera-
Sitions. The conclusion is inevitable
&that the entire basis Of the accusation
that Iowa declined in population is
found in the imperfect enumerations
kand is contrary to the facts. Iowa has
}been going forward in population
yteadily and surely all the time
REMEDY FOR TAX EVILS.