The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-02-04

ton among tho members Of free passes on
tho railroads, then our reform Legislature
had hotter consider seriously whether the time
has not arrived for prohibiting. under severe
penalties, the acceptance and use Of such
passes by Senators and Assemblymen.
Mr.. Ginen's Terrible Future.
No discourse Of . more suggestive kind
has for many day been given to the public
than that Of the eminent British philosopher
Of figures, ROBERT CITIZEN, printed In this
morning's SUN. He forecasts the doom Of
the human racc, through lack Of the means
Of subsistence, In case 1t continues to null
tiply ct its present rate without any enlarge
ment Of the resources upon which 1t depends
or any change In the economic methods that
now prevail. Mr. CITIZEN IL neither pro-
tcssional alarmist nor needless reckoner;
he 10 Q cool-headed, careful, thoroughly in
formed student OF the statistics Of the world
Of to-day, and is constantly led into exami-
nation Of questions Of the first magnitude
by his duties as functionary OF the British
Government In the Board Of Trade and as
President Of the London Statistical Society.
No one who IL aware OF his services or his
standing will gainsay his right to speak as
one Of authority upon the subject In debate.
In an orderly way Mr.. GIFFEN advances
from the alarming present to the terrible fu-
ture. Having observed that the European
family, confined till modern times to small
corner Of the world, now possess as their
habitation over half Of the area Of the earth
available for producing the food Of civilized
races, he proceeds to show that the pressure
Of population upon the means Of subsistence
Il now deeply felt In the chief countries Of
Europe. and that there is q rapid encroach-
ment upon their agricultural resources.
In Germany this has compelled an extern
sive emigration; in Russia 1t IL intensifying
the struggle for existence and creating for
midable difficulties; in Italy 1t Is becoming
visible, IS well a. In Belgium and Holland.
A. to Great Britain, the importation Of food
from abroad to feed her inhabitants Is enor-
NOUS, and, In fact. that country Is now much
more dependent than any other upon foreign
supplies. At this moment Europe Is COM
pelled to support large masses Of population
by imports from distant lands. Mr.. GIFFEN
holds that the manifold social consequences
Of this new fact must before long play an
important part In international politics and
In the economic life of nations
In India, again, the growth Of population
II raising one Of the most formidable ques-
tions Of modern times In the alarming
rapidity with which the means Of subsist-
ence there are being trenched upon. Mr..
CITIZENS portentous data OF the East Indian
empire suggest questions not easily an
swered, and the methods Of the British Gov
eminent In dealing with the difficulty are, in
his view, "little more than confession Of
hopeleesness."
In the United States the growth OF the mill
ions IL leading to momentous inquiries. We
behold the doubling Of tho population in
periods Of about twenty-five years, 30 that it
has multiplied itself by sixteen In the course
Of the century The rate Is such as to be
fairly bewilderlng in its probable conse-
Quences. The phenomenon Is also without q
precedent In history, and Is perhaps the
greatest political and economic fact OF the
age. In another twenty-five years, at the
same rate Of increase. the population will be
100.00O.0O0, In fifty years 2O0, OOO, OO0 in sew
enty-hve years 400, 900, 900, and at the end Of q
century 800, 100000!
But this growth, within the brief period
indicated. would give for the arabic land OF
the United States q population Of 400 to the
square mile-one-third as much again as the
present population per square mile In the
United Kingdom, twice as much per square
mile as the population Of the United King.
dom supported by home agriculture, and
more than twice as much per square mile az
tho present population Of France. More
over, much smaller ratio OF increase In the
United States than that OF past and present
times, say to 4OO. 900 900 In q century, would
proeuppose practically 80 violent change In
existing conditions that the difference be-
tween 1t and the more violent change which
an Increase Of population to the larger figure
would require need not be considered.
The bare statement Of such figures ap
pears to Mr.. CITIZEN quite enough to indl
cate that the present circumstances Of the
European family Of nations, including tn,
United States as an offshoot and part Of tn,
family, are not likely to continue for NOR
than generation or two. We are within
measurable distance Of very great changes.
The growth of tho United States, Mr.
CITIZEN says, has altered the whole idea o
tho balance OF power Of tho European ma
lions, and tho idea Of new Europe on tn
other side Of tho Atlantic affects evcry spec
ulation." European Governments" h
adds, "can no longer have the notion tina
they are playing tho first part on tho stag
Of the worlds political history. And thi
sense Of being dwarfed will probably increas
In time"
II Ia from tho United States that the i'm
ports Of food to Europe are now mainly to b
had. About twelve millions Of the people O
Great Britain. and millions OF the people Q
other European countries. ore sustained b.
American supplies. But those who stud
Mr.. GIPFES's remarkable discourse will &c
the grounds Of his argument that this stat
Of things cannot endure, and that even tn
resources OF the United States are to be pu
10 q tcst fully as severe a. that to whic
thoaA of Eurona ara now brought with om