The Lake County Times

CITY AND COUNTRY'S SHARE OF THE POPULATION.

The census bureau in classifying the population of the United States as city dwellers and country dwellers, fixes a certain dividing line. According to it all persons living in cities of 2,500 population or over are urban, while all persons living in the country or in towns of less than 2,500 are rural.

From statistics of the 1910 census compiled on this basis, some interesting fact can be learned. For instance, the oft-repeated cry of back to the farm is found to be fully justified. The drift of population from the country to the city is continuing at a constantly increasing rate.

It should not be understood, however, that the number of people in the country is actually growing less--this is the case only in a few states--but that the rate of rural growth has decreased when compared with the rate of urban growth.

With all the present-day advantages of country life and with all the attractive ways in which they have been presented, the lure of the city seems as strong as ever.

But it should be remembered that the townward drift of population has been noticeable for more than a generation and that so general a current cannot be turned right about in a short time.

However that may be, the census figures are but added evidence of what thoughtful students of our country have often pointed out, namely, that the problem of the city is the crucial problem of the civilization we have built here, and that if we fail therein we are likely to fail altogether.

But signs are plentiful that the cities have awakened to their great responsibility and are making more than a surface attempt to perform the service the nation expects of them.