Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-02
GROWTH OF THE CITIES
A PHASE OF EVOLUTION
No Need to Be Alarmed Because More
Than Half Of the Population Lives
In Urban Centers


States as If II were an unmitigated evil.
The announcement from the bureau Of
the census that the completed figures will
show a rural population of $4,000. 900 and
an urban population of "a. ZOO, 600 is likely
to be followed by a food of comment on the
unwholesomc tendency and by innumerable
suggestions about the ways to correct it.
The commentators are likely to cite the
ratio Of urban to rural population indicated
by previous enumerations of the people. They
will tell us that in 1890 the urban popula-
tion was 36.1 per cent Of the total, and
that 1t grew to 40.5 per cent in 1900 and
increased to 46.3 per cent in 1910 and it
is now 81 per cent
This draining of the rural districts will
be described as terrible thing. But little
examination of the figures will calm the
excitement of those who have any faith in
the processes of social evolution. In the
first place, it will be discovered that urban
population Is reckoned as that living in COM
munities with 25O0 population and over.
Now, a town of $500 people is essentially
rural. Many of its inhabitants are directly
dependent on the soil. Most Of them have
gardens in which they raise their own vcge-
tables Cows and chickens are kept and the
people live in detached houses in wholesome
surroundings.
In the second place, it will be discovered
that there are many states in which the
urban population is much greater than the
average of % per cent for the whole coun-
try. In Pennsylvania, for example, the
census of 1910 showed that 60.4 per cent
of the people lived in villages and cities with
a population in excess of $500. Conditions
in Pennsylvania are not very bad. We have
farm land and farmers enough to produce all
that we eat. We buy much from other
states. but we also sell much to other COM
monweaths. The sales offset the purchases.
Our urban population could be increased
still further without producing serious com
plications. Pennsylvania stood second in the
production of butter in 1910. third in the
production of milk, apples and hay fifth in
the production of potatoes and seventh in
the production of cheese.
In New York, one of the richest agricul-
tural states in the Union. the urban popu-
lation was IS.S per cent of the total at the
last census. In 1910 New York produced
more hay. milk and apples than any other
state. and it was second in the production
of butter and cheese.
There are many states which are com
monty regarded as purely agricultural that
stand. lower in the production Of food than
either Pennsylvania or New York
Massachusetts. with 02.S per cent Of urban
population is not so degenerate that 1t needs
the serious attention of the social reformcrs.
1t has to buy from producers in other states
n considerable proportion of the food con
sumed by the people in its large manufac-
turing cities but its farms are productive
and profitable.
1t will be many years before the proper
tion of population in the urban districts in
the United States will be as great as il is in
England and Wales According to the
census of 1911, the total population of these
countries was 10000, 900. OF this number
2I 900, 900 lived in communities with 1000
population and over, or little more than Is
per cent of the total Here is a whole nation
with an urban population within 3.S per cent
of that of the state of New York, but it
manages to worry along pretty well.
We are worried here over the concentra
tion of population in cities because for years
the United States was almost exclusively
devoted TO agriculture. The development OF
manufactures has been followed by the build
| ing up of cities, and the building of cities
has created new industries which have at
tracted more population TO conduct them
The gas companies, the electric light and
| telephone companies, and the street railways
ure all products of urban conditions Tens
of thousands of men and women are needed
| in every big city to carry on these enter
| prises which serve the hundreds Of thou
sands engaged in productive industry
| There is also a feeling that people Twins
in cities are not quite so good citizens as thos,
living in the country, and that the poltica
conditions Of the country will become de
moralized IL something is not done to checl
the present growth of the urban centers
| But no one familiar with rural politics i
| alarmed by the agitators who attack politi
cal corruption in town. Neither is any on
familiar with the morals of the rural dis
tricts afraid of social degeneration arisin
from the increase in city population. TIL
morals Of city boys and girls will compar
favoraby with the morals of those in tn
country, and the politics Of the cities is, O
the whole, much cleaner than the politics q
the country. No city boss ever gets tn
power that scores of rural bosses WELD. No
is the city boss ever so tyranncal as tn
country boss.
| But it is important, after all, that ever
agency engaged in making life in the coun
try more attractive should be encouraged
In fact, those agencies which are seeking
give to the family living on a farm SON
Of the social aud educational advantages en-
joyed by the people living in town are work
ing in the right direction. But in order
succeed it must be shown that II pays ju,
az well to live in the country as In the cit!
No amount Of argument can counteract II
dollar. During the war it is estimated thu
100000 young men and women left IL
country to engage in some kind of war wOr
in the cities, attracted by the high wag,
offered. Most of them have remained
the cities, where they have got employmel
In peaceful occupations. The result has bee
an increase in the wages paid to the far
workers and a consequent increase in tl
cost of the food which we all must eat.
Nothing that can be done is likely to chez