The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-11-16
Loss of Rural Population

TIL re have been many agricultural
which for number of decades past have shown actual decline in
the farming population This falling off many been
due to the abandonment of lands change the
Of the products of given district and the increased of labor
saving machinery No former however has shown what this
1920 reveals namely actual reduction the total popu
aon OF the farm districts OF the United States in the face OF
large increase IN the aggregate population of the country If Am
eean not ready desert the land and the and
cues would not be so easy or the japanese acquire land ana
rapid control the Pacific vegetables
flowers fruits and other rural products the Review of Reviews
me census IN noting the SHIFTS and groupings Of our population
makes three main distinctions Urban town people those who
arc living in cities Incorporated places having than $500
people Rural population includes only those living
farms and in the open country but those living
lagos that do exceed 2500 population further distinction
however made between those who live incorporated places
that below the $500 line and the people living the open
try and unncorporated villages More
population live under what the defines urban ond
ons that is Incorporated places all way great
les like New York and Chicago down compact Incorporated
towns Of 25o0 people OF these town dweers have s162O9
Just 81 per cent Of the grand total The rural half of population
5os66s99; which per aggre-
gate But readers well know the country has many thos
ands Of incorporated and villages which $500
people each yet have conditions Of life like those of people
than like those Of farmers The makes this distinction and
mds almost oooOoo S per cent of the total population living
in these lesser towns and villages that Incorporated Finally
have left figures 4oooooo people per cent
our entire population living farms country hamlets and
communities that are not incorporated
If we add the smaller Incorporated places the city population
and then compare the census Of 1910 and the Of 1920
find that those remaining namely the farmers and dweers the
~ q ne tota population are now diminished to s per cent Not
very long ago this purely rural part of population
OF the whole This rapid relative decline If the tendency
continues at the rate for another one-hr
than twothrds will be in the incorporated cities and vii
lagos possessing municipal and facilities Not only
the decline of the country population been ratio
the aggregates but there has been positive
tive falling off We have actually fewer people by than
100000 than had With millions
mouths feed the and cities people
provide the bread milk fruit vegetables SO ON than we
had years This decline partly increased use Of
machinery and other changes farm methods census fig
and detmeness the arguments who
been for good while demanding policies that help to
Suct odme American country life There many thngs
be taken into account besides the population statistics
The situation not desperate but calls policies that will
cheek the tendency before evils in that VIII be difficult to
remedy Fortunately there disposition everywhere 10 face
facts and apply correctives