Smyrna times., 1881-02-16

business. 1hlS Is tne Dlesslng JnaI coIlles
by death. The tendency of the age in
our country especially Of the rich, is to
small families of children. This has
been censured, but whether justly or un-
Justly is a question. In the old coun-
tries the opposite is the case, and not
only their condition now, but history
through the past centuries shows. how
fruitful it has been of miseries. Popula-
ton was only kept in check in the past
ages by the frequent and destructive wars
In long periods of peace, as was the case
in Palestine at the time and prior to the
ministry of Christ, the country was bur-
dened with a dense population that made
it feverish, restless and even turbulent.
Such condition of this and other nations
of that continent made them the fit sub
iects of pestilence, famine and the scourge
of devastating war; This State of affairs
seems to be the condition of many coun-
tries of the old world to-day and the
people seem to be approaching period
of impending crises. Some portions of
Europe are crowded until they are in
each others way but the most fearful pic
ture is drawn by W. w. Hunter Director
of Statistics for the Government Of India.
Here in Delaware our population inclu-
ding the towns, to the square mile is So.
By his statistics,
In thirteen districts Of Northern India,
equal in size to Ireland, the population is
more than $50 to the square mile In
some strictly rural districts of Bengal the
population is ,280 persons to the square
mile In regions having population of
over 81, 100000, the permanent danger is
as great as it was in Ireland before the
population declined The people have no
resource but the land. Only one-twen-
tieth of them dwell in towns The pres
sure for food so severe that the land can.
not be allowed any rest nor shifting OF
cultivation. The forests have been used
up, and the use of manure for fuel has
become so general that the land cannot be
sustained. In many places the pressure
has become so tremendous that the pas
ture lands have been ploughed up, and
the breeds of cattle have degenerated fol
want of proper and sufficient food. MOI
is this temporary condition. So far al
the Indian statesmen can see, it is IRENE
diable In spite of their poverty, the
people increase with marvellous rapldity
Migration from the overcrowded districts
to others is prevented by the institution;
of the country, the native proferring life
on the verge of starvation, life on one in
sufficient meal a day, to exile from hi:
own district, which is in his feeling hi!
only home, where his relatives and caste
fellows all live. 1t is the British belle
that this frightful overcrowding of popu
lation is due to the virtues and excellence
of the Government which Great Britain
has given to India. Foreign and intes
tine wars have been stopped, marshe
have been drained, many epidemics hav
been suppressed or brought within con
troll, infanticide has been prohibited, ant
} property has been made secure. But al
these things have greatly accelerated tn
increase of population naturally mos
prolific. The problem presented by thes
statements is one of intense interest, ant
it is not strange that public opinion il
England is much occupied with it. Blu
: there surely must have been some lack Q
E wisdom, organizing faculty, or humanit
in the Government under which thi
frightful condition has been developed
g Civilization is failure that cannot lift
e people above the feeling that escape from
Q pestilence, war, infanticide, and barbarisn
is not blessing In India, according t
these accounts, the condition of the peopl
is worse and more hopeless than it wa
when they were slaughtering each othe
Y at the rate of many millions yearly.
f this is the best that British organization
British capital and science, and Britis
government can do for that vast Empire
nearly as large as all Europe west of tn
Russian and Turish borders, the failure
most melancholy one. Mr.. Hunte
r shows that while France, rich countr
which considers itself fully populated
and does not actually raise food enoug
for its people, even when crops were e1
cellent, as they were last year, has onl
: l50 inhabitants to the square mile, tn
population of British India, excluding
Assam and British Burmah, is 243 to tn
square mile.