The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-13
OYer.POpnlAtiOn.

Ffom the N. Y. Tribune.
From time to time timorous philosophers
have been alarmed at the prospect of over
population, and some persons, who perhaps
are more wicked than timorOus, have expressed
conviction that no good can arise from any
efforts of theirs in this direction at least, to
the end that their posterity- shall have the
ability to make further addition to the census.
What we have been told by the philosophers
is this:-Should society be so improved as to
give TO every human being advantages for
complete mental culture and physical training
and at the same time so reorganize industry
that q few hours labor each day will give
ample supplies of food, the grand result would
be, first, such q universal sense Of justice that
war would cease, and such a knowledge OF
diseases that common ailments, ana OF
course pestilence, would be unknown; ana
second that the human race would douole
itself every twenty-five years. In tweny-hve
years more 1t would double again., ana thus
proceeding, so many people would eXlst III a
few osntnTies that the tropics the deserts, and
mountain places would be thickly inhabited.
To make further provision it will then be ne
cessary TO level mountains, to fill in the oceans;
but even this will be only a temporary
remedy, for in twenty-five years more this
new ground will be covered over, and the end
will come with terrific struggles for life.
Therefore we are told that it is necessary to
keep the human race in check by sutfsrance
of war, pestilence, intemperauce, and other
salutary miseries. To the philanthropist and
reformer this seems discouraging prospect
for it is manifest that the hour Of triumph will
be the hour OF defeat.
And yet, so far from considerations of this
kind being of an alarming character, they are
Of the least possible consequence. How long
man is to live on this planet is unknown; bat
30 far as the generations now living are con-
oerned, the race ends when they have passed
away, as much as it ends with the last man
in some far distant period, while the heavens
blaze with the final conhsgration. To regulate
our conduct by a view of what may bs the
necessities of coming generations, is to ne
gleot the duties Of to-day, to suppress generous
emotions, and to make ourselves untitled not
only for future existence, but also for this.
A mans duty lies in planting some small seed
of goodness in his breast, and in its culture
and care that it may grow and give him
vitality and enduring life, and in the end
neutralize and conquer whatever within him
is wicked and perverse. In commencing this
course, which has no other difficulty than in
its seeming insignifcance, way is prepared
for q practice of all the virtues and charities,
not so much abroad as at home, not so much
in a confident as in a humble spirit. Such a
condition in the individual will precede, and
it will be the groundwork of perfectibility in
society. When the individual shall have
reached this high standard, the question with
reference to posterity will not be multitude,
but goodness; and it may be stated to be a
natural law, that whatever is most precious
cannot be abundant.