786 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



Usually, as population becomes more dense, its percentage of gain 

 becomes less ; but in the two Southern States, Mississippi and South 

 Carolina, in which the colored population is densest and most largely 

 outnumbering the white, the ratio of increase is among the greatest. 

 Not even the principle of density, nor the terrors of the *' Mississippi 

 plan," appear to have exerted the least check upon the multij^lication 

 of the colored people in those States. They probably received some 

 accessions from immigration, especially Mississij^pi, as Texas and Ar- 

 kansas certainly did. The table indicates readily what States probably 

 lost by emigration. The showing for South Carolina has been anoma- 

 lous for the last three censuses, it having, like the border States, gained 

 little during the seventh and eighth decades, but having gained enor- 

 mously during the ninth, as shown by the last census, and yet in no State 

 is the correctness of this census better assured than in South Carolina. 

 If there be error it is in the previous census. The ratio of increase in 

 seven of these States rises above the average for the colored popula- 

 tion of the United States ; North Carolina has the same ratio, while 

 the others fall below it. 



The following table gives the colored increase in twelve Northern 

 States for the last decade : 



During the decade the colored population in these twelve States 

 increased from 327,882 to 458,185, being 39*9 per cent., a little above 

 the ratio of increase for the entire colored population of the United 

 States ; but this was gained wholly in the first four States of the list, 

 the percentage of gain in the remaining eight being about equal to the 

 average gain of the white population in those States. The last two 

 tables appear to indicate that the movement of the colored population 

 is not great, but mainly toward the Southwestern States. And while 

 only four of the Western States, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, 

 have received considerable accessions, the percentage of their gain 

 being high, the aggregate number of immigrants northward is com- 

 paratively small. The last five States of the list seem to have lost a 

 small portion of their colored population by emigration. 



What is the law of colored migration ? The colored man is act- 

 uated by the same motives in changing localities as any other man. 

 Social attraction, sympathy, opportunity for paying employment, with 

 facilities for reaching the new home these determine the direction of 

 his movement. Climate is, no doubt, a consideration which cooperates 



