Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-05
Our Increasing Population.

uc ledIUcu pIcoIuCuC Va ehc A-
statistical society, Robert Griffen, has
put out a portentous paper, forecasting
the certain doom of the human race,
" through lack of the means of subsist-
ence. in case it continues 70 multiply at
It's present rate without any enlargement
of the resources upon which it depends
or any change in the economic methods
that now prevail" He easily figures
out that at the present rate of increase
the population of the world will ere long
require more to eat than the world can
raise. People who are not familiar with
the tricks which figures can be made to
play may be alarmed at these predic-
tions. But their fears are groundless.
The scientific people are always at this
sort of thing. Some years ago somebody
destroyed the world in fancy, by setting
fire to the Pacific ocean. Another has
demonstrated the certain extinction of
the race by the irresistible conclusions
which follow from the fact that every man
has had two grandfathers, four great
grandfathers and other ancestors in pro-
portion. Griffen's scare is not much
better founded. In our own country,
which he uses to illustrate his apprehen-
sions, the production of food supplies has
increased as rapidly rs the population
we have large surplus to send abroad,
and the waste constantly going on here
is something tremendous. But the de-
velopment of our agricultural resources
is insignificant rs yet in comparison
with their possibilities. The most closely
titled sections of this country are not
farmed up to anything like the
capacity of the ground, and altogether
they are small area compared with the
vast domain which is us yet almost
virgin soil. For Il century the in
creasing productiveness of our lands will
keep pace with any possible increase of
population here, but the time must
come when greater thrift and be ter
household economy will in part come to
the relief Of our resources and to the
support of the teeming millions. China
and India support vast populations on
less expanse, and while we will not get
down to their frugal rice diet and bird
nests banquets we may reconcile ourselves
to simpler fare than ten course dinners
long before the gloomy period prOgnosti-
Gated by Griffen, when for lack of
brealstuffs the people will be driven to
devouring each other. But, mean
while, his statistics will serve good
purpose if they direct attention to the
inevitable necessity for some change in
| prevailing economic methods.
TIE discovery made in this county
that certain panels of juries were i'm
properly drawn because The jury com,
missloners had not been qualified before
filling the wheel, has extended to other
counties of the state. In Adams county
to which the scOnd trial of COylp, the
COyle's ferry homicide, had been re
moved from York, the district attorney
finding the jury drawn for the term tc
be defective in the same manner Us
lately happened here, had the case and
the court put off. The same thing lap
pens in York and doubtless will riI
over the state, to the annoyance OF
bench and bar, at I; season when lII,
most jury trials are usually disposed of
1t is q mere technicality of course, hu,
technicaities, being the soul of the law
must be complied with.
The ground hog is getting his work in
TIE Jubilee singers have been haulet
up in New Haven for giving a Suuda.
concert in violation of statute o; 1856
This is going 4 good ways back for th'
llw, but New Haven is Il very Old place.
WATCH out for WiSgins' big storm
which is to shake the continent from stcn
to stern tho latter end of this week II,
has staked his .eputation as u weathe
prophet Oh it, and he will have it here OF
time or break trace.
SOME enterprising people i'll the Western
cities have been trying to compete viii
the postal department in delivering mai
matter more cheaply, but their iiiega
competition with the government business
has been suppressed by the authorities
1t is pity some body does not undcrtak,
to compete with the great American navy
TIE consummato perfection in the de
velopment of check which the America,
newspaper reporter has attained is MOI
only displayed upon the stage as I. unique
creation of fanciful imagination, but i:
met with i'll the transactions of the day
with such painful reality that no restraint!
of propriety Or decency may be place.
upon the irlepressibie newsgatherer- A
case in point is that of one OF these terri
BILE young men, who have invaded Wash
ington for the purpose of remorselessl,
gathering items, who went up to tht
British legation when the marquis OF
Lorne was entertained and entered with
out invitation. He shook hands with ths
English minister, the marquis, and en-
gagged in conversation with the member:
of the marquis staff, until he was cold
shouldered into the background, where ht
made an accurate and exclusive dcscrip
ton of the refleshment table.
MIR. Woke CHING Foo, who some years
l. ~ xJ.