Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-16
THE GREAT WESTERN EMPIRE.
A British View of the Wonderful Growth
of Our West.
London Times,

London Times.
Whoever carefully examines the sta
tlstics showing how the population of
the United States has grown of late
years, must be impressed with the ra-
pidity with which the western states are
Outstrippins the southern and eastern.
The rate of increase In some of the
southern and northern states is almost
identical; for instance, the southern
state of Mississippi and the northern
state of New Hampshire are on par
IN this respect, while Alabama, one of
the most backward of the former states
is not much behind Vermont, one of
the most enterprising of the latter. II
Texas be classed among the southern
states, it may be regarded as an excep-
ton, because it seems to exhibit as
apid progress as any one IN the west,
yet when its size Is taken into account,
there is nothing very wonderful in its
development Such states as Kansas
and Illinois, Colorado and Minnesota,
are really conspicuous in this rivalry,
and they bid fair to continue to be dis
tinguished above the others. 1t is with
reference to these western states that
the words of Mr.. Whittier, in his we'll
known verses on the western pioneers,
are fraught with porfect truth, for in
them the pioneers are really advancing
like the first low wash of waves where
human sea will soon break. The
progress westward is the more signif-
icant because it is emphatically a pro-
gress of trained and seasoned men,
L., cd In fo 1oc
congenial regions, and who are we'll
adapted for bearing with equanimity
and hardihood the privations INSOFAR
able from a new sphere of existence.
The fertile prairies of the great west are
as inviting to the farmer who tills the
stubborn soil of New England as the
virgin land of the sea-board was to the
first settlers of America. What proves
most attractive to the European immi-
grant is not the western prairies, but
the Rocky mountain mines; he presses
on to mining cam ,, hoping to draw
prize in the mining lottery, in prefer
ence to settling on q farm and earning
comfortable subsistence by agricul-
ture. In consequence of this, the alb
sortive power Of these regions is greatly
heightened. There is always room for
newcomers, because the older hands die
off so quickly. A miners chances of
long life are far less than those of q
farmer, and it is unlikely that we shall
see the capacity Of the west to sustain
a large population fully tested till min
ing holds s. secondary rank there
among the inducements to seek new
homes. In any case the citizens of the
United States will doubtless have ample
reason to congratulate each other as
the figures of every succeeding census
are made public. They are certain to
become as numerous as the most exact
ing among them might desire. We
witness their progress with satisfaction.
AS they widen the circle of their ma
tionality, they at the same time enlarge
the bounds of our common race and
of our mother tongue. NJ de Candolle,
the French statistician, estimates that a
century hence English will be the
speech of 860,00O,00O persons, German
of 1874 100000, and French of 69,000,-
900. The figures are fanciful, for it is
hardly to be expected that the increase
of the English-speaking population will
be maintained at the same ratio in the
future as in the past. But the notion
involved in the forecast is as gratifying
to a citizen of the British empire as it
is to a. citizen of the North American
republic. 1t is asserted that trade fol
lows the flag. 1t is certain that ideas
follow the language, and the increase OF
the English-speaking people implies
the wider diffusion of the ideas of we'll
ordered freedom and continual i'm.
provement, which are the glory of our
race, and the source of its prosperity
and greatness.