, 1877-05-13
RUSSIA AND THE UNITED sTATEs

Forty years ago, during the Administra.
ton Of Gen. JACKSON, De TocQuEvn1E, the
closest and most philosophical observer that
ever visited this country, struck with the
equality Of condition that characterizes ou1
society and Government, wrote his famous
work on Democracy in America, in which
occurs the following remarkable parallel be-
tween the United States and Russia,-a
parallel that is of peculiar interest at the
present time:
There are at the present time two gecat nations
n the world, which started from different points,
but seem to tend towards the same end. a11uae
to tho Russians uud the Americans. Doth of them
have grown up unnotced; and whilst the attention
Of mankind WINS directed elsewhere, they hare
suddenly placed themselves in the front rink
among the nations, and tho world learned their
existence and their greatness at almost the snfne
time.
All other nations seem to have nearly reached
their natural limits, and they hare only to main
tain their power; but these are still in tho act of
growth All the others have stopped, or continue
to advance with extreme difficulty; these alone arc
proceeding with ease and ce1erity nlong a path
to which no limit can be perceived The American
struggles against the obstacles which Nature op-
pose: to him; the advcrsarics Of tho Russian ara
men. The former combats the wilderness and
savage 1ife the latter civilization with all fts
arms The conquests Of the American are, there
fore gained By the p1owthare; those Of the Rus.
sian by the sword. The Anglo American relics
upon personal interest to accomplish his ends and
gives free scope to the unguded strength and COM
mon sense Of the people,; the Russian centres all
the authority OF sociEy In a single arm. The
principal instrument Ct the former is freedom: Of
the latter, scrvitudc Their startins-point I. dr.
fffen$ an heir +hn
Of them seems marked ont BY the will Of Heaven to
sway the destnies Of half the globe
It will be profitable at the present time tn
analyze De TooouEvn1E's genernlizations-
and follow the parallel in its details; and,
first, with regard to growth. Under IVAN
TIE TERRIBLE, in 1885 Russia comprised
81, eco geographical square miles. Russia
now comprises one-seventh Of the area of the
earth, Or 6,450, 900 square miles, divided a,
follows: Russia in Europe, 2,2G1 ,657: Run-
s'a IN Asia, G,17o,Ss2. Since DE- Tocqury111E
wrote his work, Russia has added to her ter
ntory between two and three million souare
miles, The area of the United States. in.
Guiding Alaska, is reported b. tho censu, of
1870 at 3,6o3,Sf4 square miles. When Dr
locQuEEHLE wrote his book, it was abont
100000 square miles. The population
OF Russin in 17G2 was about 10000 ooo.
when De TocouvEn1E wrote, it was
4s,ooo, coo; now it is &c, ,0oo, 600, European
Russia having $4,000, 600, and Asiatic Russia
ABOUT 100000: In 1870 the population of
he United States was 1895, 1898; when Dr.
locouEEn1E wrote, it was II, ,ooo, 600; now
it s 4o,ooo,oo0. These figures eloquenuv
proclaim the growth Of these two great na-
ions, and there is yet no limit to it, either
n the extent of area to be traversed, OF by
nc opposition Of other Powers. The United
states will continue to spread north and
outh. Russia will spread to the east until
he reaches the wall Of the Himalayas,-her
|atural boundary.
Since the days when De TocQuxyu1z
'rote, both Countries have developed colos-
Al scheme Of railroads. We have spanned