The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-22
U. S. POPULATION
NOW l3l,409,SSl
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(C0ntlnued from Page One)
population would reach some 'stat.
lc" level and stop increasing. While
his bureau is unwilling to make ar
official prediction, he said the peak
might be reached in 1870 to 1880
The effect of birth rates on the
population total was shown, he add.
ed, in the fact that the northern
states accounted for only one-thirc
of the national gain, while t h {
southern half of the country
where the birth rate is higher
and the Pacific coast states &C
counted for two-thirds of the in
crease.
All the southeastern states hac
important increases, New England
barely gained at all, and industrial.
states like New York and Pennsyl.
vania gained less than the national
average.
Parts of the middle west, where
droughts and dust storms have
plagued the people, had losses. The
population declined in North ano
South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas
and Oklahoma. The only other
state to lose was Vermont.
New York continued as the most
populous state with 10, 379, 622 resi-.
dents, which was 6.3 per cent more
than it had in 1880. Pennsylvania,
Illinois and Ohio again held the
next three ranks, in that order.
Then began a number of changes
with California BUSTING Texas from
fifth place. Other states to better
their ranking included Tennessee,
Kentucky, Virginia, Louisiana, Ar
kansas, South Carolina, West Vir-
ginia, Florida, Rhode Island, Dis
trict of Columbia, New Mexico.
Failing behind we're Texas, Ala
bama, Iowa, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kan.
sas, Connecticut, South Dakota,
North Dakota, Montana, Utah, and
New Hampshire.
Nevada continued to trail the
states with 110,014 residents, an
increase of about 20, 1000.
The large shifts in population
may change the distribution oil
seats in the house of representa-
tives, but the exact changes can
not be determined until the census
figures are verified, and congress
hac a chance to act.
The law requires the Census bu'
reau to submit final figures tc
President Roosevelt by Dec. l, and
directs him to relay the informa'
ton to congress in the first week
in January
Then, unless congress enacts ar
apportionment system in so days
a computation made by the censu:
bureau must be certified to the
states by the clerk Of the house
and the new seating will affect thu
house elections in the fall of 1912
Is States Affected
DR.. Calvert L. Dedrick, appor
tionment expert of the bureau, sale
he guessed about Is states woule
either lose or gain seats.
He said that, so far, Californl;
was the only state mathematical,
certain to gain. Before a positive
verdict could be made about an.
other state, he added, the prelim
mary figures would have to be re
checked and about 125. 900 person.
in the national total, but not in tn
state totals, would have to be allo
Gated to the states. These arr
mostly transients.
One of the possibilities that tn
new figures raised was that TN
center of population has move'
eastward for the first time in his
tory. It is almost CERTAIN to NOV
southwark from its 1880 location
DR.. Leon E. Truesdell, chief stat
istician of the census bureau, SAT-
he could not say yet whether tn
point moved east or west, and tn
computation probably would not b.
made for several months.
Another disclosure was ina
Americas large cities failed t
keep step with the nation in popu
lation growth. In 405 cities OF 70
600 population or more, the aver
age gain was 81 per cent, com
pared with the national average o
7 per cent. .
Dr.. Truesdell said, however, i
hal not been determined We
whether rural areas or small Gil
les had made the best gains. On
confusing factor was a o W.
trend of city workers to live II
rural communities or suburbs JUS
outside of large cities.