Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-12-08
Our Countrywide Past and the Future.
An Estimate for 1910,

Inc truly extraordinary progress Of this
country In power, population and resources, is
calculated to excite wild and sometimes vision
airy specuatlons as to the future Our ma
tlonal existence is a thing of yesterday, COM
pared with some Of the older nations. And
yet State after State has grown up, million
upon million has been added to our population,
and not year goes by that additional 4hous-
ands and tens of thousands are poured in upon
US from the Old World. The discovery of
steam, and its application to the purposes of
navigation and railroad travelling, have given
a new impulse to our progress. We are now
by the agency of Atlantic steamers, within
the distance of fortnight, if we measure dis
tance by time, of several of the crowded cities
of Europe. The emigrant, moreover, may
land at one of our Atlantic ports, and by the
agency OF railroads, pass westward through
half a dozen Of our States in the course of
few days. Thus the adventurer on the other
side of the Atlantic may, before setting out,
calculate within short time, the exact sum
that it will be necessary to expend, and the
precise amount of time that will be consumed
in transferring his little family to Wisconsin,
Iowa, Texas, or some other fourshing point
of the far West or South The dangers and
the difficulties of the enterprise, which years
ago.w considered to be almost insurmount-
able, have in great measure Disappeared
A vast multitude have already passed the
trackless ocean, and written back to their
friends in a cheerful and encouraging spirit
Thus it is that one emigrant makes another
and that the tide continues to swell. Who
then under these circumstances will venture to
read the future ? Who will venture to give
picture of this Republic with its teemine
millions as it shall appear hundred years
hence A hundred years What changes
may take place within such q period How
many new States may be carved out of the
wilderness and redeemed to civilization We
some days since saw paragraph in one of the
public journals, announcing that fifteen or
twenty years ago, six young men left the
neighborhood of Lexington, Ky, to seek their
fortunes further west-apd that the whole six
would meet together at Washington during
the next session of Congress, as representatives
of the new States of the Republic What
commentary upon our progress, our people and
our institutions What an inducement to
| others in like circumstances-the young, the
ardent, the energetic and the enthusiastic to
initiate the example, and also to become pio-
neers, patriots, and legislators True, all do
not succeed. Many perish by the wayside.
Many, unable to wrestle against difficulties
incident to new settlements, or to resist the
effects of a new climate, scken and die But
the complexion of the new House of Repre-
SentatiyeS, if closely anayzed, would, perhaps,
| form the most eloquent commentary upon this
subject that could be given. We are indeed
advancing with rapid strides. We are emf
nently favored by Providence. But while in
| the enjoyment of so many national blessings.
while basking in the light of prosperity, and
dwelling happily in land that teens with
abundance, We should not forget our duties
Truth, honor, and honesty should form our
characteristics. As we'increase in power and
prosperity. so also should We increase in Justice
virtue, and magnanimity. We are working
out the mighty experiment Of a people gov
ernng themselves. We are testing on a grand
| scale the beauty of republicanism. This world
! is looking on. DespOtsm watches with fear
and trembling, the lovers of liberty with anx-
| ious sOlicitude When we commit an error,
the tyrants of the earth, who would keep the
masses in a state of dependence and serfdom,
exult and point their fingers with scorn-
| When VIC prove false to our mission, the friends
| Of liberty and humanity weep tears of blood.
| Much has been accomplished, and yet we are
| by no means perfect Liberty sometimes de-
generates into RIGHTEOUSNESS, and a violation
| of law is sometimes mistaken for freedom
| But we must live and learn. Our sages, pa
triots and philosophers must exercise a sleep
| less vigilance. There are here, as in all other
parts of the earth, demagOyues, ambitious,
vicious and dangerous men,-men who for
self, would thrall and trample upon the masses,
would sacrifice a world. Let these be watch
ed and guarded against, Let Us at least strive
| to improve, not only morally and Intellectually
but politically. Then and then only will our
| future be glorious. Then and then only will
We prove true to the mighty mission that has
been conlided to u.s. But, when we commenced
this article, we merely intended to invite atten-
ton to the following extract from late num-
ber of Hunts Merchants Magazine 1t furn-
ishes startling estimate of the future popu-
| latiOn Of the American Union
% In 1910, the United States had n popu-
| lation of lT,06S, ,966. Allowing its future in
crease to be at the rate of 33 l-3 per cent.
for each succeeding 10 years, we shall number
in 1910, 3O2, l01, ,641. Past experience war
| rants us to expect this increase In 1870 our
number was 3,937,S27. Supposing it to have
increased each decade in the ratio of Is I-2
per cent. it would in 1910 have amounted to
1860, $50, being more than half a million
| less than our actual number as shown by the
census With 100000 600 we should have
less than l20 to the square mile for our whole
territory, aud but 220 to the square mile for
our organized States and Territories. Eng
land has 800 to the square mile 1t does not
| then seem probable that our progressive in
crease will be materially checked within the
one hundred years under consideration. At
the end of that period, Canada will probably
number at least 2O,000,000. If we suppose
the period Of our country cast and west of the
| Appalachian and the Rocky contains, and
between the Gulf of Mexico and Canada and
| for the cnnntry west Of tho Rocky nnnntains