The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-06-07
RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES.
Growth of the Two Nations-De Toeque.
ville's Remarkable ParaIlel-Some In.
teresfing Figures.

vile, the closest and most philosophical
observer that ever visited this country,
struck with the equality of condition
that characterizes our society and Gov
eminent, wrote his famous work on
Democracy in America" in which oc-
ours the following remarkable parallel
between the United States and Russia
parallel that is of peculiar interest at
the present time:
There are at the present time two great ma
tons in the world, which started from different
points, but seem to tend toward the same end.
| 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 them
selves 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 nearly 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 ce-
lerity along path to which no limit can be
perceived. The American struggles against the
obstacles which nature opposes to him; the
adyersaries Of the Russian are men. The for
mer cOmbats the wilderness and savage life :
the latter civilization. with all its arms The
conquests of the American are therefore,
gained by the plowshare; those of the Rus
sian by the sword The Anglo, American relies
upon personal interest to accomplish his ends
and gives free scope to the unguided strength
and common sense of the people; the Russian
centers all the authority of society in a single
arm. The principal instrument of the former
is freedom; of the latter, servitude. Their
startingp 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.
It will be profitable at the present
time to analyze De Tocqueville's general
izations, and follow the parallel in it's
details and first, with regard to growth.
Under Ivan the Terrible, in 1886 Russia
comprised $4,000 geographical square
miles. Russia now comprises one
seventh Of the area of the earth, or s.
100000 square miles, divided as follows ::
Russia in Europe, 2,261 ,657; Russia in
Asia, 6,170,882. 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 1903, 844 square
miles. When De Tocqueville wrote his
book, it was about 10000 square
miles. The population Of Russia in
1862 was about 100000. When De
Tocqueville wrote, it was 48, 900, 900 !;
now it is So, 000-European Russia
having 100000, and Asiatic Russia
about 100000. In 1890 the population
of the United States was 3,929,328.
When De Tocqueyille wrote, it was A.
100000; now it is 45,000.000. These
figures eloquently proclaim the growth
Of these two great nations, and there is
yet no limit to it, either in the extent of
area to be traversed, or by the opposi-
ton 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 De 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 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 Volga to the very frontiers of
Austria and Germany. In the days of
the Crimean war she had none 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-
graphs. They have vastly increased
their manufactures, developed their in
dustries, augmented their production,
and improved their civilization. Under
the name Of freedom, great nation has
developed in one land under the name
Of despotism, great nation has peace
fully developed in the other. Russia
emancipated 100000 serfs without
war we emancipated nearly 100000
with war. We have had our recon
struction troubles and settled them.
Russia has had hers, and is now slowly,
but surely, working toward a constitu-
tional form of government, beginning In
her communes. She has adopted our
jury system and our system Of judica-
ture She has commenced to take our
! A1CC-0SuOO4 oyoGCLA Ill pau VIC Lave d4-
most universally adopted it. They have
covered their vast steppes with civiliza-
ton beyond the Ural mountains we
have covered our vast prairies and plains
beyond the Rocky mountains.
Such facts as these strengthen the
parallel that De Tocqueville drew when
this country was comparatively in its in
fancy, and place Russia and the United
States in the position Of the two leading
nations of the world, with their posi-
bilities only beginning to be developed,
with no perceptible limits to their
career. The next two powers are Ger
many and Great Britain, but their
boundaries are already marked out.
France has reached it's natural limits,
Italy it's old boundaries. Austria is in
more danger of falling to pieces than Of
increasing, and Spain is stagnant and
decaying. The destinies of the globe