When the native white population is separated into two classes a striking contrast is seen in the distribution between city and country, for while 29.9 per cent of the native white of native parentage are in cities of at least 2,500 population and 70.1 per cent in the country, the distribution of the native white of foreign parentage shows 60.5 per cent in such cities and only 39.5 per cent in the country. The foreign-born white show a larger measure of concentration in cities than either of the other classes, 66.4 per cent of them being in cities and 33.6 per cent in the country. It should be noted that the word cities as here used is restricted to the cities having not less than 2,500 inhabitants, while the term country includes the smaller cities as well as the distinctively country districts.

Comparing 1890 and 1900 it will be seen that native whites of foreign parentage show the highest rates of increase in both city and country, or 40 per cent and 23.1 per cent, respectively. The increases for native whites of native parentage were 37.4 per cent in city population and 12.3 per cent in the country. The foreign white population increased 21 per cent in cities, but show a decrease of 2.4 per cent in the country.

If the increases in city and country are considered relative to the total increases it will be found that of a total increase of 6,473,646 in the native whites of native parentage, the cities of 100,000 or over contributed 1,481,028, or slightly over one-fifth, and the country 3,138,162, or nearly one-half. Among native whites of foreign parentage, of a total increase of 4,142,342 persons, 1,870,766, or slightly less than one-half, represented an increase in cities of at least 100,000 population, and 1,160,591, or a little over one-fourth, an increase in the country. Among foreign white, however, the net increase of 1,091,950 persons is almost all accounted for by the increase of 925,791 in cities of 100,000 or over, while in the country there was a decrease of 85,594 foreign white. The increase of foreign white was exclusively an increase of city population; the increase of native whites of foreign parentage was over two-thirds in the cities, while the increase of native whites of native parentage was nearly onehalf in the country, this last proportion being, however, somewhat lower than might be expected when the fact is considered that 74.1 per cent of this class were in the country in 1890.

CONCENTRATION BY PRINCIPAL FOREIGN NATIONALITIES.

The "principal foreign nationalities" include 16 European and the 2 Canadian nationalities that have emigrated to the United States in greatest numbers.

The following table gives the number of each principal foreign nationality residing in continental United States in 1900, and the percentage in cities having in 1890 a population of 25,000 or over. This table utilizes the 1890 classification of cities in order to furnish a basis of comparison with the corresponding percentages for the year 1890.

TABLE 19.-Number and per cent of total population of continental United States in cities having in 1890 a population of 25,000 or over, by country of birth: 1900.

a Including Finland.

75,994,575

18,582, 151

24.5

22.3

65,653, 299

13,691,377

20.9

18.6

10,341, 276

4,890,774

47.3

44. 1

486,367

320,368

73.4

a 57.9

484,027

296, 040

61.2

58.8

Including German, Austrian, and Russian Poland, and Poland unknown.
e French and English Canadians not given separately in 1890.

It will be seen from the foregoing table that the nationalities vary greatly in their tendency to concentrate in large cities. Probably this is mainly due to differences in national characteristics, although to some degree it may be attributable to differences in periods of immigration. The Russians, with 73.4 per cent in large cities, the Italians, with 61.2 per cent, and the Poles, with 60 per cent, are all of the newer class of immigrants. On the other hand, the Danes and Norwegians, who have the smallest percentage in cities, were by no means the earliest immigrants to this country. The Germans, who are numerically the most important of the 18 nationalities, and represent an earlier immigration, reside in large cities to the extent of 48.7 per cent, a percentage almost exactly midway between the highest and lowest in the table. The Irish, who are the second most important nationality, have the high percentage of 59.8, although they are of an older class of immigrants and might be expected to be considerably dispersed. The third most important nationality, the English, are also an older type of immigrants, and have the comparatively low percentage of 44. A comparison of the figures for 1890 and 1900 shows an increasing percentage in cities for every nationality as well as for the total population.

AGE.

The following table shows the distribution of each age group, by nativity:

TABLE 20.-Per cent distribution of each age group, in continental United States, by nativity: 1900.

American stock of native white parentage constitutes 53.9 per cent of the total population of the United States. The highest percentage (59.6) of this class is found in the group of persons under 5 years, the proportion by age groups regularly decreasing until the group "35 to 39 years" is reached, which group stands lowest in percentage (46.3) of native white parentage. Thereafter, until the age of 85 years is reached, there is a gradual though irregular rise.

The proportion of native white persons of foreign parentage, also, is largest (26.2 per cent) in the age group "under 5 years.' With the exception of one group (25 to 29 years), every group shows a decrease as the age increases until the age of 75 years is reached. Just the opposite is true of the foreign-born white (immigrants), however, the age group "under 5 years" constituting less than 1 per cent (0.6), and an increase in per cent of the total population taking place with every advance by age group except one (40 to 44 years), until the age of 75 years is reached, the highest percentage being 31.9 in the group "70 to 74 years."

The following table shows the per cent distribution, by age group, of the population comprised in each class of nativity:

TABLE 21.-Population and per cent distribution, in continental United States, by nativity and age group: 1900.

Of the total population of the United States, 44.4 per cent, or 9 of every 20 persons, are under 20 years of age, while the number of those in the most active period of life (20 to 44 years of age) constitutes 37.8 per cent, or over one-third of the total population.

Among the native whites having both parents native there is a slightly higher percentage (47.8) under 20 years of age, while the percentage (34.5) from 20 to 44 years of age is lower than the corresponding proportion in the total population.

Among the foreign-born white the proportion in the active period of life (20 to 44) constitutes over one-half (52.4 per cent) of the total foreign white population. Considering the fact that only 10.5 per cent of this class are under 20 years of age, it would seem that the net productivity or economic gain from this class would be greater than from any other if considered alone. However, in this connection must be considered the second generation of foreign parentage, represented by the native whites having one or both parents foreignborn. Of this class 54.1 per cent, or more than one-half of the total, are under 20 years of age. Nevertheless this class has a larger percentage (38.4) in the most active period of life (20 to 44) than has the class of whites of native parentage, and a smaller percentage over 45 years of age than either of the other classes of white population.

The colored population has about the same percentage (35.2) in the age group 20 to 44 years as have the native whites of native parentage, but a larger percentage (50.6) under 20 years of age, and a slightly less proportion over 45 years of age, or 14.2 per cent as compared with 17.7 per cent among the native whites of native parentage.

VOTING AGE AND CITIZENSHIP.

The figures for voting age and citizenship are not, of course, restricted to the number of actual voters, but comprise all those of the male sex who would be eligible to vote apart from educational, residential, or other limitations imposed by the national and state governments.

The following table shows the per cent increase of males of voting age, by nativity:

TABLE 22.-Per cent increase of males of voting age, by nativity: 1890 to 1900.

From the foregoing table it will be seen that native white males of native parentage at least 21 years of age show an increase of 1,728,525, or 19.6 per cent, during the decade. The native white of foreign parentage show a smaller numerical increase, 1,308,283, but their percentage increase, 60.8, was over three times as large as that of the whites of native parentage. Immigrant whites increased only 15.8 per cent, or 671,813 in actual numbers, while the colored races show an increase of 26.1 per cent, or slightly over one-fourth. The following table shows, for the States specified, the per cent foreign-born in the male population 21 years of age or over, 1890 and

1900.