THE POPULATION OK THE UNITED STATES 



37 



list, changes in rank occur, and in some 

 cases these changes are great. Thus, 

 California jumps from twenty-first to 

 twelfth place. 



Twelve States hold the same rank in 

 1910 as in 1900; all the others have 

 changed places, the sum of the changes 

 being 90, or an average of nearly two 

 places to each State. The changes in 

 rank which occurred between 1890 and 

 1900 numbered 65 only, illustrating the 

 fact that the increase in population of 

 the different States have differed much 

 more widely in the last decade than in the 

 previous one. The range among these 

 increases was from Nebraska, which suf- 

 fered a slight loss, up to Washington, 

 Oklahoma, and Idaho, which more than 

 doubled their numbers. 



The map on page 35 shows the distri- 

 bution of the rates of increase by States. 

 Of the Atlantic States, the great manu- 

 facturing States of Rhode Island, Con- 

 necticut, New York, New Jersey, and 

 Pennsylvania, with the mining State of 

 West Virginia and the frontier and win- 

 ter-resort State of Florida, increased at 

 rates more rapid than did the entire coun- 

 try. Massachusetts, however, very nearly 

 reached it. Of the central States, only 

 the frontier States of North Dakota, 

 South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas 

 increased more rapidly than the country 

 at large, while all the western States 

 increased more rapidly. 



In the central part- of the country there 

 is an area which has grown very slowly, 

 less than 10 per cent, while Iowa, which 

 is within this area, has actually lost a 

 few thousand inhabitants. Illinois, al- 

 though in the midst of this area, was 

 saved from finding itself in the same 

 class as its neighbors only by the fact 

 that it contains the great city of Chicago, 

 with its rapid growth. These States, 

 from Indiana west to the Mississippi 

 River, are at present quite fully popu- 

 lated for agricultural States. They offer 

 little inducement to immigrant farmers 

 to come or to the sons of farmers to 

 remain. In short, they have nearly 

 reached the limit of a farming popula- 

 tion. Other industries which will permit 



PER CENT OF INCREASE 

 10 20 30 40 



1790- 

 1800- 

 1810- 

 1820- 

 1830- 

 1840- 

 1850- 

 1860- 

 1870- 

 1880- 

 1890- 

 1900- 



800 

 81 0 

 820 

 830 

 840 

 850 

 860 

 870 

 880 

 890 

 900 

 9 I 0 























WW 



BBS 









































































DIAGRAM TO ILLUSTRATE OUR RATE OE 

 GROWTH BY DECADES 



and require a greater density of popula- 

 tion, such as manufactures and com- 

 merce, must be introduced before a more 

 rapid growth can be resumed. 



This illustrates one of several phases 

 in the peopling of a country. The first 

 settlement represents commonly the pas- 

 toral interests, which require large areas 

 of land to support few persons. Later, 

 perhaps when railroads have made the 

 region accessible, farmers will enter it 

 and take possession, perhaps slowly and 

 gradually, or perhaps with a rush, as 

 illustrated by their recent invasion of 

 Oklahoma. Then comes the condition 

 typified by the central States, where a 

 farming community has reached its 

 maximum, or nearly so. Following that 

 commonly comes the development of 

 manufactures and the attendant building 

 of cities, which attract people and cause 

 a more rapid growth. 



Twenty or thirty years ago Ohio was 

 in much the condition in which Iowa is 

 today. Since then the development of 

 her cities has sent her forward again. 



The rapid growth of southern New 

 England and of the other North Atlantic 

 States is due almost entirely to their 

 cities. The agricultural element is almost 

 at a standstill there. The growth of the 

 cotton States, ranging from 14 to 20 per 

 cent, is the normal growth of agricultural 

 communities not yet nearing the maxi- 

 mum density for that industry. Texas, 



