Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-19
AN ENGLIsa PROPHECY as TO OUR
FUTURE.

MIR. Robert Giffen, President of the Lon
don Statistical Society, devoted recent
address to American Growth" It evil
denced broad and intelligent knowledge
Of this country. Reasoning from the ratio
of our past growth, he places our popula-
ton fifty years hence at 200, 600, 600, in
seventy-fvs years at 400, 600, O00 aud at
the end Of century at 500, 600, 900. These
figures almost take the breath away. II
sound in estimate, they promise growth
unexampled in ratio in the world history,
and give America the keeping of the bal.
ance of power among nations. But it is
not clear that Mr.. Gifen is safe in his esti.
mate of the flow Of population from En-
rope to America, for there is a growing
feeling that restriction of immigration will
become, in the not far distant future, our
policy. We will never become an exclu.
sive nation, but we will choose our people
from among the peoples of the world with
greater discrimination, and to dose we will
make immigration a matter Of less ease.
Our very necessities will drive us to that
policy, The more interesting part OF the
address is devoted to our capacity to give
Europe her food supply. We have recently
touched upon this subject; it is the most
vital interest now under public considera-
ton. We have demonstrated our ability
to feed our own and c population
nearly one.third in excess at this time.
Twelve million people of Great Britain
now subsist upon the American food ex.
port chiefly, and besides we supply largely
to Germany, France, Belgium and Hol-
land. In the matter of meat supplies we
shall have something to say hereafter
suffice it now to remark that the stock
business is becoming one of the most prom
inent industries of the land Its profits
are the largest, It's returns the quickest, it's
demands the most steady. The narrowing
of the free ranges of the country alone sug-
gest the limits of its possibilities. And
this vast interest has found its market
through the advanced and improved meth.
DDS of transportation and the energy of
aggregated capital alone. Oar productions
in proportion to our producing population
are greater than have ever been known.
To illustrate, California produces one
sixth Of the wheat supply of the country.
What is her agricultural population
Take out the cities and towns from our
aggregate of about 500, 600, and the non-
agricultural class other than these, and we
have not l25, 600 all told. But this is
topic TO be considered properly in distinct
i've treatment. Mr.. Giffen shows that Of
breadstuffs and provisions we export $780,.
000,000 annually, at departure value of
SO per head, which represents a value in
the United Kingdom of Ell per head
that is, the latter is about the consumption
of agricultural products per head by Great
Britain. We had, says Mr.. Giffsn, GEN.
fury ago 100000 people, now we have
50.000,0 600, and support them and not
less than 10, 600. 600 of the people of the
United Kingdom in addition, and about
100000 of other peoples in Europe.
Including the Cansdas and Australia with
the United States, he finds these new
countries actually furnish the food supplies
to 100000 of European population-or
nearly one-fourth of the people of Europe.
If we reflect that this food supply trade is
in its infancy, tAe dullest imagination will |
be able to picture a future of beBildering
possibilities. It must be remembered that
we are dealing with sober statistics, cold
figures, and that there is no deceit in them.
OF course the food supply we draw from
foreign countries must, in broad consid- |
GRAFTON of the subject, be taken into &C.
count, IN order to balance our ledger, but |
it is not necessary TO do SO at this time. |
The facts stated afford sufficient ground |
for reflection, as to the effect OF our food |
output upon the domestic and political |
economy of Europe. But. as Mr.. Gifen
points eus. the effects upon our own eoun-
try viii net be less striking. In twenty.
FIVE years We shall probably reach the
limit Of the present ratio Of expansion.
The close settlement of cur country, the
utilization of cur desirable lands, the di.
sources from which we draw our
the limitations we viii put
apos immigration. TIE de1suda Of oar osn