The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-10-07
rHE woRLp,s POPULATION.


tremendous figures, and yet perhaps this
sum does not properly represent the peo-
pie upon the globe. In round numbers this
population is distributed about as follows: In
Asia, 6O0,CC),CJ0; India, 2OO,OO0,0OO Africa,
2O),00O,OO0; Europe, 3C0,0O0,0OO, or more;
Americas, 100, 100000, and in Australia and
0ceanica the remainder. A great many
people never stop to think how tremendous
already the population of the globe is, but
how fewer ever wonder what the future
will do with them. In Asia and
India, also Europe, or the greater
portions OF these vast domains,
the population is even now too grea! for the
lands upon which it is living. Famine and
disease are carrying oil the redundant or
superlluous population, but not as rapidly
as the race is increasing. A. civilization
progresses in those regions, rendering life
more sacred, and by advanced sanitation
and medicine prolonging it, the difficulty
support must grow correspondingly. The
only remedy now for the evil is emigration,
carrying away those not needed at home
to people the waste places of other portions
of the globe, But in u hundred years or so
this avenue of escape from the crowded
population centres will be cut of, and then
some other means of supporting life
must be rcsorted to. The earth's popu-
| lation three or four centuries hence
WILL according to the present rate of in.
crease be double the present figures,
but all these hupdreds of millions of in
crease will have to be cared for in the
Americas and Australia, as the other por.
| tions of the earth, AS before suggested, are
even now too crowded with humanity to
admit of any marked growth. When the
world then shall become as crowded, as
whole, as India and China of to-day, the
question of that time will resolve itself into
one of food to support animal life. II is
urged that the more redundant the popula.
ton the greater will be the mortality, and
thus on nd ininitum, preventing u catas-
trophc But this cannot be hoped for, AS
the development of the science of medicine
and sanitation will counteract the effects of
over crowding. The subject is an old one,
and about which Nautilus scared Europe
many years ago, but it is reoeiv-
ing new attention, as it is
one of the most interesting
of all subjects, since the recent publication
OF the figures referred to. There is no ques-
tioning the proposition that the earth will
in the distant future find population
upon IL which the methods and food now
known for mans support will be made
quate to sustain, or, as has been said, when
imam will grow up and find no place for
him at natures table, The fact is incv-
liable, if we succeed in escaping some uni,
verSally destructive catastrophe, Still
there is no reason to suppose alter all that
the globe will refuse to support its children,
There are evidences indeed of total de.
struction, or almost total destruction, of
animal life back in the infinite past, and
some ruin may again swallow up humanity
simultaneously, such as contact with
comet, change in the carth'S in
cliuaton OF axis, but we don't
seriously anticipate any catastrophe
of this character for some time
at least. The indications are that the world
will remain as it is, and its population 20
on developing itself under the influence of
civilization until the one grand question of
all Others will be with the world, as it isnow
with some sections oft, how shall food and
clothing and shelter be obtained % When
one acre becomes u big farm, and u tcne.
mcnt room palace what will the billions
of poor humanity do to keep body and
soul together We are fortunately not left
without u basis for hope In the science OF
the day We have the safety of the future.
New sources of health and happiness may
be confidently expected from its develop.
ment, and along with these, new sources of
heat light, clothing and last but not least,
new articles or food or cheaper and
more common methods OF sustaining lie.
On each of these particulars science
has accomplished wonders within
the last generation, but it is barely in its
infancy rs yet. The rapiditS of the growth
of scientific thought and research has been
such as to warrant wonderful conceptions
and auticipations of what may be expected
in the future. 1t is the handmaiden Of
civilization, solving natures mysteries and
carrying with it the remedies for natures
evils, and rs it has never failed to come to
the rescue in the past it may be implicitly
depended on for the future, 1t will make
the light. heat and food of the coming
years, and though billions may demand OF
1t bread and raiment, ii will be found at all
times to draw from an amending and OK.
haustlcss fountain. Whatever, in word,
the present or future physical condition OF
man may be, his intellect may be- trusted to
extricstc him FROM any perilous situation.
ACCIDENTS AND THEIR PREVENTION
It's alarming TO note the frequency OF
fatal accidents of late in this country, both
by land and water, in crowded cities and in
the fields, in factories theatres, ware
houses, and in short everywhere. The
record Of the more prominent ones is, for