The census reports show that in 1910 there were 2,273,603 illiterate males of voting age, that is, 21 years of age and over, of whom 617,733 were native-born whites, 788,631 foreign-born whites, and 819,135 negroes. The per cent of illiteracy of the total male population of voting age was 8.4; of the native-born white men, 4.1; of the foreign-born white men, 11.9; of the negroes, 33.7. The total number of illiterate men of voting age in the entire country was greater than the total number of men of voting age in the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. In some States, and in many counties, the illiterate voters hold the balance of power in any closely contested election. The problem of adult illiteracy is no longer one of race or of section. In 1910 the total number of white illiterates was greater by 956,902 than the total of negro illiterates, and the number of illiterate white men of voting age was greater by 585,229 than that of illiterate negroes of voting age. Massachusetts had 7,469 more illiterate men of voting age than Arkansas; Michigan, 2,663 more than West Virginia; Maryland, 2,352 more than Florida; Ohio, more than twice as many as New Mexico and Arizona combined; Pennsylvania, 5,689 more than Tennessee and Kentucky combined. Boston had 24,468 illiterates over 10 years of age; Baltimore, 20,325; Pittsburgh, 26,627; New Orleans, 18,987; Fall River, 12,276; Birmingham, 11,026; Providence, 14,236; Nashville, 7,947; Washington City, 13,812; Memphis, 8,855. The per cent of illiterates in the population over 10 years of age was, in New Bedford, Mass., 12.1; in Dallas, Tex., 4; in Lawrence, Mass., 13.2; in Wheeling, W. Va., 3.2; in Amsterdam, N. Y., 10.3; in Little Rock, Ark., 6.5; in Passaic, N. J., 15.8; in Augusta, Ga., 10.9; in Green Bay, Wis., 5.7; in Paducah, Ky., 1.8; in Woonsocket, R. I., 9.1; in Dubuque, Iowa, 0.9; in Bayonne, N. J., 9.1; in Knoxville, Tenn., 6.5; in Utica, N. Y., 8.2; in Roanoke, Va., 6.9. These figures indicate that, if all classes of population are considered, no section can claim even approximate freedom from adult illiteracy. The tables following show: (1) Number of illiterates in 1910 who were 10 years of age and over; (2) illiterate males 21 years of age and over in 1910; (3) per cent of illiteracy in cities having 100,000 population and over in the United States, 1910; (4) per cent of illiteracy in cities having 25,000 to 100,000 population in the United States, 1910. |