The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-09-05
ssUItimate AmerIca.w

In a recent lecture the Rev. Joseph
Cook, speaking of the future of Amer.
ca, said:
1T is not commonly known that the
amount of arabic soil In North and
South America is greater than that in
Europe, Asia and Africa put together,
and can therefore sustain more lives.
This is no rash conclusion. l speak
from scientific basis, and | will show
you what that basis is. Our con-
tiHent is narrow, and therefore the
winds of the ocean water it well.
The mountain chains en- the east side
of the American continent are low; on
the east side of the Old World they
are high. From this it results that the
trade winds, laden with the wetness of
the sea, are admitted to our land. The
breadth of the Old World and ITS high
eastern ranges cause the rainless interi-
ors of Asia and Africa. Again, Amer
lea is the land of fat plains; the Old
World of scorched plains. Oar plains
run north and south, and so admit and
receive the rains. The impulse of south
ern winds is the cause of our hot sum-
mers; the impulse of northern winds of
our cold winters, but our mountain
ranges run north and south, so that the
sun, as he approaches and leaves them,
shines far into their 2orges, aud the
forests grow up their slopes. America
is high under the equator, the Old
World is low; America is narrow under
the equator, the OLD World is wide.
Hence with US smaller surface is ex-
posed to the scoIching sun. As re-
suit of this, cutting out the mountains,
the scorched and the frozen portions
from each continent, and the remnant
of productive soil las the scholars say,
| do not assert it on my own authority
- 10000, 600 square miles in the Old
World, and II, 100000 in the New.
Thus bursts upon us 10 all the light of
scientific truth the fact that America
can sustain a greater population than
the Old World, and If she can, it is un-
questionable that she some day will.
In this circumstance l hear the echoes
of fate, with whose footballs 1t is fitting
that the centuries should keep step.
Some OF US who are not yet very old
have seen our population increase from
II, 600, 600 to 40, 900, 00O In 1870 the
pivotal point, about which, If it were
solid body, our population would
swing, was little east of Baltimore.
Now 1t is a little east of CINCINNATI.
As Professor Walker has shown, il has
changed forty five feet since morning.
l ask you to pause oyer the pivotal
point, for perhaps our faults chiefly
arise from the fact that we have been 3
frontier people. Around this point
have gathered many of the causes Of
our national peculiarities.
Suppose that there are 100, 600, coo
persons in all America in the year 1000.
This is surely a moderate estimate, for
now there are 81, 600, 900. Suppose
that after the year 1000 our increase is
one per cent. year, or less than the
present increase in Eogland and Ger
many. Il il said that the imagination
is sldacious, but the reason Is more so.
On this basis. what do We end the fu-
tnre Of America to bel It's population
in the year 1900 would be 400, Co., |
900. The Encyclopaedia Britannica
Afirms that North and South America
can Parrish sustenance for 3. GOO, O00,-
900. Europe has an average popnla-
tion Of eighty persons to the fquare
mile, We hare A area Of 10, 000, 900 |