The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-02-07
THREE HUNDRED YEARS HENCE

What will happen when the world
becomes over peopled has long been
subject of speculation. 1t was be-
lieved that people were increasing
faster than means for their subsist-
ence could be provided, and elabo
rate theories to check the increase
Of the human race were devised:
But so far the world has rubbed
along in. the good old way. People
have multiplied on the face OF
the earth and there has al
ways, except in exceptional cases,
been food enough for each successive
generation. Famfnes are 1ess fire..
quent now than they were three hun
tired years ago, and although the
population of the world has greatly
increased, the standard of comfort
has almost everywhere been raised
very considerably. We think that
we are safe in saying that in no age
of the world, as whole, the human
race were better fed and better
lodged than they are in the nine
tenth century. THAT may be true"
says the speculative alarmist, "but
what about the next three centuries7
Will not mankind, at the present
dreadful rate OF increase, be starved
out al the end of the time, and will
not the struggle for subsistence give
rise 10 the most dreadful revolu-
tions2 How, when the United States
has as many Inhabitants to the
square mile as China, and this do
minion is as populous as Belgium,
are the masses to be fed, and how
are they to be governedY' The pro-
blem seems to be formidable one;
and which it is impossible at. this
distance of time to solve. But after
all, are there such very strong
grounds for the alarmist's fears as
his lively imagination creates! Tits
we'll known now that the population
Of even highly civilized and pros
porous countries is nearly stations
lry. The rate of increase in France,
for instance; is very small indeed.
| Who knows but that when the Uni
ted States is as populous as France
lit will increase in population as
slowly as France does3 Then it will
take very long time to fill up what
are now the waste places Of the
earth. Hers in America there is
still boundless area of cultivable
land unoccupled. The resources Of
Australia and the large islands Of
the Pacific are still in "a great meas
ure unknown. Central America is
capable Of supporting an immense
population.
Then again, who is to set boonds
to the capabilities Of science? Land
|,hat is now looked upon as irreclai-
mable may be made to produce rich
harvests and the productiveness Of
the soil now cultivable may be great
~ increased. New kinds OF food may
be discovered, and materials which
are to day regarded as waste and
worthless may be made to yield
sustenarce to man and beast. All
things considered, we venture to
think that our alarmist friend may
make his mind easy, the human race
lis safe to exist for three hundred
years longer at any rate. .
As to the fearful social convul-
sions which are. feared as the result
, of over population, avoided. Great
Britain is now more easily governed
than when an English sovereign
could boast Of only half the present
number is quiet and peaceable, and
we do not hear Of wholesale massa-
|cres in China. The dangerous class-
es in the cities Of Great Britain and
America are not considered so very
!, dangerous by those who live among
them, and milder rule and more
even headed justice would make the
y Communists and Socialists and Nj
hilists of the cities Of continental
Europe very good subjects indeed
The impartial inquirer would VI
think, find that the people OF the
most populous nations of today are
!. as law abiding and in every way al
the iuha bitants of sparsely peopled
,f|lands. Allowance must be made fol
# the spread ofintelligence in the time
, to come. In 1880 when, Is Mr.. R
,fIGifeu calculates, the United States
q will have population Of 800, 900,
x 600, it is quite possible every Amer
S lean citizen may live as TeaceablJ
E. and flee from snnoyance as be doe:
u now. The machinery Of government
e will no doubt improve with the pro
, gress of age, and that with the supe
8 lrior culture Of the people, may max
III the year 1880 and succeeding year
1t a very millennium. Seriously We be
10 Elieve that there are, to say the least
sr as good grounds for these pleasan
,t,.;nat;ona as tharn are for tn