The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-01-05
The Country's Growth.
What the United States May Be Fifty Years Hence
Possibilities and Dangers of the Future

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Possibilities and Dangers of the Future.
The following from the Chicago Inter-
Ocean will furnish food for reflection and
speculation 1t is estimated that the Uni
ted States will contain $50, 900, 900 people
fifty years hence. The natural increase of
population, as judged by the tables of the
past, in conjunction with the swelling tide
of immigration from Europe, will accom-
plish this marvel of national growth. When
future historians record the fact that the
American colonies, with 100000 people,
developed into republic of 100000 900
in century and half, it will read like a
tale of the Arabian Nights Rome at its
zenith had no such population, nor one so
homogeneous in language, spirit, intelli-
gence and aspiration. This will be the
mightiest republic of all history. Figures
alone fail to convey an adequate idea of its
probable yastpess and power, Its popula-
ton will be equal to that of the German
Empire, France, Spain, Belgium, Switzer-
land, Italy and Austria combined. 1t will
be a match in war for the whole of Europe
or for any other quarter of the globe. In
the achievements of peace it promises to
exceed any nation extant, or that ever rose
to wealth and splendor.
There is point, however, beyond
which growth of population cannot pass
without proving curse. China would be
a stronger nation to-day with half her pres
ent population, and with more general
diffusion of wealth and intelligence. When
human beings become so thick that they
must herd in cellars like animals, or dwell
on RATS on the water like rats or beavers,
and when lawmakers can no longer treat
infanticide as crime, the limit of healthy
growth has been passed. Density of pop
ulation is no longer source of strength,
but of weakness and alarm. Lord Bacon
commends the plan of Henry VII, "To
maintain such proportion of land that it
may breed subject to live in convenient
plenty, and in no servile condition; and to
keep the plow in the hands of the owners,
and not in the hands of hirelings This
is the true theory, and should not be for
gotten when the imagination is fired by the
panorama of national grandeur soon to be
presented on this continent, for if our ma
ton is destined to exceed any nation of
Europe in population, its cities will also
attain unexampled size. Is there danger
that we shall soon begin to have too many
people?
4 glance at statistics indicates that the
time for such forebodings is yet remote.
In no country of Europe is there more
general content and prosperity than in
France, and yet, if the area of the United
States were as densely settled as that of
France, there would be room here for $780,
100000 people. Extensive regions of the
Pacific coast are at present not adapted for
agricultural pursuits, but they can be rem
dered rich and fruitful by irrigation, and
they abound in mineral deposits of every
description, iron included, which would
afford employment and support to large
populations When Alaska has been peo-
pied and the main portion of the Union
becomes somewhat crowded, Canada, Mex
lea and South America offer suitable out
lets. By that time European immigration
will have probably ceased, or have become
insignificant.