The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-12-10

money, or money more easily paid, we
can preserve the benefits Of the Union
by that means than we can by the war
alone, is it not also economical to do it I
Let us consider it then. Let as ascer-
tain the sum we have expended in the
war since compensated emancipation
was proposed last March, and consider
whether, if that measure had been
promptly accepted by even some of the
Slave States. the same sum would not
have done more to close the war than
has been otherwise done. If SO, the
measure would save money, and in that
view, would be prudent and economical
measure. Certainly, it is not so easy to
pay something as il is to pay nothing.
But it is easier to pay large sum than
it is to pay a larger one, and 1t is easier
to pay any sum, when We are able, than
it is to pay it before we are able. The
war requires them at once. The aggre-
gate sum necessary for compensated
emancipation, of course, would be large,
but it would require no ready cash, nor
bonds even, any faster than the emanci-
patton progresses. This might not, and
probably would not close before the end
of the thirty seven years. At that time,
we shall probably have 100,OOO,O00 of
people to share the burden, instead of
81 600, 900, as now; and, not only SO,
but the increase of our population may
be expected to continue for long time
after the period as rapidly as before,
because our territory will not have become
full. | do not state this inconsiderately.
At the same ratio of increase which we
have maintained on an average from our
first National Census in 1870, until that
of 1860, we should, in 1900 have pop
ulation of 103, ,20S,4 AIS, and why may we
not continue that ratio far beyond that
period? Our abundant room, our broad
National homestead is our ample resource.
Were our territory as limited as are the
British Isles, very certainly our popula-
ton could not expand as stated. Instead
of receiving the foreign born, as now, we
should be compelled to send part of the
native born away but such is not our
condition. We have 100000 square
miles Europe has 3,S00,0O0, with a
population averaging seventy-three and
one-third persons to the square miles.
Why may not our country at some time
average as manyi Is it less fertile !?
Has it more waste surface by mountains,
rivers, lakes, deserts, or other causes
Is it inferior to Europe in any natural
advantage? If, then, we are at some
time to be as populous as Europe, how
soou AS to when this may be, we can
Judge by the past and the present. AS
to when it will, if ever, depends much on
whether we maintain the Union. Several
of our States are above the average Euro
pean population of 733 to the square
mile. Massachusetts, has 157, Rhode
Island 1873, New York and New Jersey
each 80; and two other great States,
Pennsylvania and Ohio, are not far below,
the former having 6S, and the latter So.
The States, already above the European
average, except New York, have increased
in as rapid ratio since passing that point
as ever before, while no one of them is
equal to some other parts of our country
in natural capacity for sustaining dense
population.
Taking the nation in the aggregate,
and we find its population and ratio of
increase for the several decennial periods
to be as follows:
1890 3,929,827
1900. 5,3O5, ,937-35 o2 pr ct ratio ofincrease
1910. 1888, ,9l4-36,4 As pr ct ratio ofincrease
1920. 9,638, 1878, ,49 pr ct ratio of interest
1890 IL, ,s66, ,O2o- -33, ,49pr ct ratio ofincrease
1910 II, ,869, ,453-32.67 pr ct ratio ofincrease
1850 90, l9l ,S76-35.S7 pr ct ratio ofincrease
1860. 81, ,443, ,79O-35.58 pr ct ratio ofincrease
This shows an average decennial in
crease of 34.60 per cent. in population
through the seventy years from our first
to our last census taken. 1t is seen that
the rates of increase at no one of these
seven periods is either two per cent below
or two per cent above the average, thus
showing how infexible, and consequently
how reliable, the law of increase in our
r case is. Assuming that it will continue,
it gives the following results 1870,
1898, ,341; 1880, 56,967,2l6 1890,
76,677,872 1900, S,208, AIS; 1910,
135,9lS,526; 1920, 1S6,9S4, 1886; 1880,
251 ,6S0,9l4. These figures show that
our country may be as populous as
Europe now is at some point between
1920 and 1880, say about 1925-our
territory, at 733 persons to the square
mile, being of the capacity to contain
2l7 l86, 900; and we will reach this, too,
if We do not ourselves relinquish the
chances by the folly and evils of disunion,
or by long and exhausting war, springing
from the only great element of national
discord among US. While it cannot be
foreseen exactly how much one huge ex'
ample of secession breeding lesser ones
indefinitely would retard the population