The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-05-23


that the demand upon American resources
must increase continually. Mr.. Potter, in
his report, refers 10 tariff matters, in which
he labOrs to show that, while protection is
the highest exhibition OF craftsmanship in
America, it is the lowest in Europe, but it is
not our purpose to criticise the Consups
tariff tenets, bCt to give his facts and figures
relating to the European food supply such
prominence as they seem to merit. Mr..
Potter says "a glance at the map accompany
ing his report"-the outlines of which we
have already given and at the figures, "wil
enoble anyone interested ia the subject to
form an opinion regarding the magnitude of
the probable future demands OF European
markets, and adds:
The increase in the demand will be- of course, in
proportion to the increase of population. The
present population of ten only nelu ding the four
smallsst OF the EurePean States, namely, England,
Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland,
Austria, Italy, Spai. and Portugal Is about 225.-
100000. The territorial area of these countries is
considerably less than one-third OF that Of the
United States. Taken together, the grain crop OF
these States, stated in 1852, fell more than $780,
100000 of bushels below their annual consumption.
What. then. is likely be their deficiency in ten
and twenty years from this date?
The annual average increase in their population
France excepted is about ~ per cent or 16 per
cent. in ten years. In the United States the in
crease was thirty per cent in ten years. The COM
pound increase in overpopulaton in the ten states
named will be, therefore, about 1876 900 annually
or 0eO in ten years. Some idea of the amount
of supplies needed ten years hence to support that
number of people may b9 formed by taking only
two items of food, bread and meat, and allow for
consumption to each person the same rations that
are measured cut, with scrupulous economy, to
each soldier in European armies. viz: twenty
ounces of bread and eight ounces of meat, daily.
The result viii be as follows:
The daily consumption OF bread would
The yearly consumption of bread would
pe.ss.... .-....--..tons. 'iSo2i4oo
The number OF bushels Of wheat requir-
ed at four bushels for enc barrel of
-four, TO make this bread would be-.
bushels $50 80. lis
ed would Be, yeariS -. barrels. 1921. rs
Assuming the meat supply 10 be all beef,
daily consumption would be tons. sos
The yesrly consumption would be-. do 2,9]2, 77j
lac number of cattle required to fur
each to weiE6 ' on loot 1000 HT pSu1ds:
and One-hslf of this weight TO be mer-
charitable fresh meat, would be wear
The united weight OF bread aud sisugii- 10
tered meat to be imported in one year
would tons 10 265 26)
Ike number of ships. at 600 tons each,
necessary 70 transport this amount of
1000 would be-. .ShlOs.. 1920
This estimate applies to the demand for food
needed to supply the future increase only of over
population. 1t does not embrace the over-popula-
ton Of the present day. To measure the actual
deficit in brea1stuhs and meat which will prob.
ably exist at the end Of 1S91, the amount OF the
deficiency now reached lover 3OO,OOO,oOO bushels
in breadstuns slOne) should be added, aud that
would nearly double the above figures.
Such statements are we'll calculated to at
tract attention ia the Uaited States They
are based upon facts which will withstand
severe scrutiny and lead to conclusions
which, being reasonable, can not fail to ina
press the American mind with the fact that
nothing but revenue laws hagrantly at war
with the interests Of commerce can debar the
people OF the United States from taking pos
session Of markets which will absorb very
large per cent. of the surplus products of
their farms.