The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-06-29
RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES.
Growth Of the Two NatIons-Somr Inter-
esiing figures.

WIN Tue tquallty VI Noh'i.i'h 'h"'
characterizes our society and govern
ment, wrote his famous work on Demo-
cracy in America" in which occurs the
following and remarkable parallel be-
tween the United States and Russla-a
parallel that is of peculiar interest at the
present time:
There are at the present time two
great nations in the world, which started
from different points, but seem to tend
toward the same end. l allude to the
Russians and the Americans. Both of
them have grown up unnoticed and,
whilst the attention of mankind was
directed elsewhere, they have suddenly
placed themselves in the front rank
among the nations, and the world learned
their existence and their greatness at
almost the same time.
All other nations seem to have reached
their natural limits, and they have only
to maintain their power but these are
still in the act of growth. All the
Others have stopped, or continue to
advance with extreme difficulty these
alone are proceeding with ease and
celebrity along a path to which no limit
can be perceived. The Americans
struggle against the obstacles which
nature opposes to him the adyersaries
of the Russians are men. Their former
combats in the wilderness and savage
life the latter civilization with all its
arms. The conquests of the Americans
are, therefore, gained by the plowshare
those of the Russians by the sword. The
Anglo American relies upon personal
interest to accomplish his end, and gives
free scope to the unguided strength and
common sense of the people the Rus
sian centers all the authority of society
in a single arm. The principle instru-
ment OF the former is freedom; of the
latter, servitude. Their starting-point
is different and their courses are not the
same, yet each OF them seems marked
out by the will Of Heaven to sway the
destinies of half the globe.
1t will be profitable at the present
time to analyze De Tocqueville's gene
ralizations, and follow the parallel in its
details and first, with regard to growth.
Under Ivan the Terrible, in 1885 Russia
comprised 81, 200 geographical square
miles. Russia now comprises one
stNtllll VI VIC dlGd vi IhV az wy VI u
45O,0 600 square miles, divided as follows:
Russia in Europe, 2,26l ,657 Russia in
Asia, 6,l70,SS2. Since De ~Tocqueville
wrote his work, Russia has added to her
territory between two and three million
square miles. The area of the United
States, including Alaska, is reported by
the census of 1870 at 3,6O3, S44 square
miles. When De Tocqueyille wrote his
book, it was about 100000 square
miles. The population of Russia in
1873 was about 10000, 900. When De
.Iocqueville wrote, it was 4S,OOO,0 600
now it is $1,000, 600 European Russia
having 5000, 900, and Asiatic Russia
about 8,0O0,O 600. In 1880 the popula-
ton of the United States was 1929, 1928
When De T~ocqueville wrote, it was
1900, 600; now it is As, 900, 600. These
figures eloquently proclaim the growth
of these two nations, and there is yet no
limit to it, either in the extent of area
to be traver.ed, or by the opposition of
other powers. The United States will
continue to spread north and south,
Russia will spread to the east until she
reaches the wall of the Himalayas--her
natural boundary.
Since the days when Tocqueville
wrote, both countries have developed a
colossal scheme of railroads, We have
spanned the continent from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, and have covered the
states with a network of roads. Russia
has connected the Baltic and Black seas.
She has transported an army from the
heart of the country to the Caucasus by
railroad. She can carry her Cossacks
from the Nolga to the very frontiers OF
Austria and Germany. In the days of
the Crimean war she hadl non of these
roads, and by their absence alone were
the allies able to defeat her. Since De
Tocqueville's days, both countries have
covered their rivers with steamers, their
harbors with ships, their valleys with
canals, their railroad routes with tele-
They have vastly increased
their manufactures, developed their in
dustriCs, augmented their production,
and improved their civilization. Under
the name OF freedom, a great nation has
d. veloped in one land under the name
Of depotism, a great nation has peace.
developed in the Other. Russia
emancipated 20, 600 serts without a
we emancipated nearly, 5000 600
with a war. We have had our recon
struction troubles and settled them.
has had hers, and is now slowly,
but surely, working toward a c)nstitu-
tional form of government, beginning in
her communes. She has adopted III
jury system and our system of iudlca-
ture. She has commenced to take our
fr~ee-school system in part we have al
most universally adopted it. They have
covered their vast steppes with c~ivil'za-
ton beyond the Ural mountains; we
have covered our vast prairies and
plains beyond the Rocky mountains.
Such facts as these strengthen the
that De T%ocquevilIe drew when
this country was comparatively in its
and place Russia and the United
States in the position OF the two leading
in tie world, with their posi-
only beginning to be developed,
with no preceptible limits TO their
The next two powers are Ger
many and Great Britain, but their
boundaries are already marked out.
has reached its natural limits,
Italy its old boundaries. Austria is in
danger of falling TO pieces than of
Increasing, and spain is stagnant and
iecaying. The destiniCs of the globe
Ire, as De Tocq neville says, yet to be
by Russia and the United States.
The Side-Saddle.
There are few traps for the female sex
,-. 1851 .I.,ll.v .laa tba I'll, aaIl1.