National Republican., 1875-07-22

historian whom we have quoted, not appre-
ciating the extent of our unoccupied lands,
anticipated their early exhaustion. Taking
the official figures Of the census of1s7O as q
bisis of Illustration it appears that the total
number Of square miles In all the States is
1885,, ,476; and their population. 3s, 115. .641.
The square miles in all the Terrific.
ries is 1919, 21S, nearly as many as the
States, and their population only 5Sl, 353,
inclusive of the 131,700 in the
District Of Columbia. Now view 1t from
another standpoint. The State of New
York has Al, 900 square miles and popu-
lation of 4, 3s2, 759, or 9S4 to square mile;
the Territory of Dakota has $50, 900 square
miles and population of IA, ,1S1, or Iii
of person to square mile; Massachusetts,
has $500 square miles and population of
1,231, ,066, or 1856 SO to a square mile; and
the Territory of Montana has 143, 776 square
miles and population of 20,595, or II of
q person to square mile. From 1920 to
1870, period Of fifty years. the total immi-
grafton to the United States was only T.
sos, S65; 8. .S57, $50 coming from the British
Isles and 2. 2.067, 500 from Germany. These
figures show in the boldest light the ca
pacity of our Government to receive,
protect and provide with homes, and
to give employment and fair wages to
the entire population of Continental Eu-
rope and then have plenty of room for
more. If the Territories were settled to-
day as the State of Massachusetts, they
would be supporting population Of more
than 800 900, 900, and they are quite as
capable of sustaining life, trade and COM
merce as that State. If the exhaustion Of
our public lands is the only thing that is
going to break US up, we shall live as a
nation forever. 1t is one of the high mis-
sions of the Republican party to include
within its fostering care this mighty charge
Ard what have we to fear from universal
suffragef All history, especially English
history, confirms the belief that the State
is never in danger from the enlargement
of suffrage. Fifty years ago, or less, none
but the highly privileged classes in Eng
land could vote, and when the middle
classes were brought in by the statesman.
ship of Russell the precedent loomed up
before the eyes of the wealthy like de-
stroying angel to all their interests. Since
that time suffrage has again been extended;
but never had England in all her history
more conservative and protecting Par
lament than the present one, and never
was its reigning sovereign so yenerated by
the people at large. When it was the
other way, and the Government exclusively
in the hands of the aristocracy, the Wsstnsin-
stsr ReUiep says, in substance, it was reeking
with corruption. Now, all that the people
require to keep them in their legal places
is q firm and steady administration of
the law, its exact and vigorous execution at
every point, without fear, favor, bias or
prejudice. Our Government has the re-
quisite power for the administration of all
the laws, even the law against treason; but
there is little of safety when the protection
of the people and their government is con-
fded to those whose first idea is the abo-
lition of central power and the supremacy
of the States.