Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1846-03-26


free-black population during the last 80
years, as scale by which to measure its
development for the next two half centuries
But let us begin, as we have equal reason
to do, with its growth from 1865 to 1900
and assume that as the scale Of its progress
till the year 1916. 1t is stated by high au-
thority that Baltimore, in the year 1865,
numbered not more than SO houses. These
we may fairly conclude to have contained
not more than $40 inhabitants. In 1900
its population was fraction less than "a,
900. This was an increase Of one hundred
fold. Adopting this high per cenage as a
scale for its after-growth, that city in 1885
should have contained 100000, or "a
times as many as it actually did contain.
This immense discrepancy would at once
prove the total incorrectness of such rule
But by the same scale, its population in
1870 would be 24O,00O,O00; in 1905, "a,
OO0,OOO,OOO; in 1910, 2,400,000,000,000;
and in 1916, or one century hence, 100000
OOO,00O,OOO!! Then allow the almost I'M
precedented density of 100000 to the square
mile, and the city of Baltimore would oc-
cupy a site of 2OO,OOO,OOO square miles.
that is to say, it would exactly overspread
the entire surface of our globe, oceans and
all! Have mercy, Heaven What is to be-
come of the farmers, not to speak of whales
and smaller fishes? Or must they all emil
CRATE to the moon? Ought not Congress
to prohibit the further extension of cities
And are not the country Delegates, particu-
larly those from the lower counties, justly
Jealous of this youthful giant, whose de-
vouring manhood is to absorb not only this:
but all other States and nations into his
worldwide nav? But take comfort, my
fellow-rustics Let us not yet die of anti
cipative terror. The preponderance OF
Baltimore will doubtless be great enough.
and far too great for the interests of lower
Maryland but never till Doomsday will
its suburbs pass ten miles beyond their pre-
sent limits: for so great an expansion would
run counter alike to the experience of ages
and the possibility of things.
In further developing this subject ] will
notice various considerations, which must
always be kept in view by the careful cal
culator, as they will be found to modify
very largely the natural law of progress as
regards the human species. These consid-
erations are, 1st, the extent of country, and.
I'd, the length of time and number Of peri
DDS involved in the calculation; Sd, the
character of the soil and climate 18th, the
nature of the Government, and the condi-
ton of the people; 5th, the variety of en-
Payments; 9th, the existing density of
settlement, with the motives and facilities
for emigration or immigration. Some OF
these points are intimately connected; but
! will give to each separate and brief
survey.
First. Due regard must be paid to the
extent of country involved. In particular
to estimate the future progress of cities
from their past growth, will, in general,
prove exceedingly fallacious. The growth
Of most cities is not like the progress of a
river, onward, and ever onward, and still
enlarging as it flows. 1t is rather like the
bank of rapid stream-now suddenly en-
Iarged, and now as suddenly worn away by
the action of capricious and ever-shifling
currents. The prosperity of cities usually
arises from commerce, and the trdde-acends,
which now set towards, and now blow
from, the great marts of business, are not
like the easterly Monsoons, Of reliable
steadfastness, but rather like the ordinary
wind, (which bloweth where it listeth.'
The instances of cities, which have advan-
ced and then retrograded, and advanced
once more, and retrograded again, and that
so irregularly that no man could have pre-
dicted it, are too numerous to specify, and
| doubt if one city in hundred ever in
creased with any thing like uniform ratio
through 5 periods of 10 years each. The
reason is, they are so subject to accidental
impulses and unexpected checks; alternate
depopulation and replenishment. The same
remark holds true of almost any small Sec
ton of a country, particularly with a COM
munity so migratory as ours. The aggre-
gate increase of population throug bout the
Union has continued, certainly through S
and it is believed through 9 successive de-
cades at ratio scarcely varying fraction
from 80 per cent. for 10 years, or 3 per
cent. per annum nearly. Yet not only has
this not been the ratio in any individual
State, (since they have increased in all ra-
tics from 2 per cent. to 500 per cent? but
the ratio in every State has varied greatly
with itself. As this will be apparent to all
on an inspection of the censuses, | will in
stance but this State, which has been less
capricious than many Others. It's per cent
ages of increase for decades from 1890
to 1910 have been .06 ga IL l-2; .O7
90 ga, and O6 1-2. The average was
.OS 1-3.
Second. The length of time must be con-
sidered. The remarks under the last head