New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-20
NATIONAL GROH TIL.

NATIONAL GROHI TIL
The rccupcrative power of the United States
few can even family comprehend. Vague
phrases are in common use which we are apt
TO attribute to the prevailing vanity of Amer
! leans, hut those who use them most are bus
! htile allie to comprehend and measure the pro-
gress Of the country, TO realize what 1t means
and what effect this rccupcrativc power has on
| ,hc welfare of the people. 1t continually sets
N naught all the calculations OF prophets OF
! disaster, and brings to grief the most careful
! estimates Of the future that are based on human
! experience in any other land or time. just now
the recovery Of the country from serious DC
preston seems TO some almost incredible. For
they realize the potent forces operating TO retard
progress or produce disaster; they do not
realize how enormous is the legitimate and nat
ural growth Of the country. So some arc even
tempted to believe that the election of a Dem
Ccratc Administration and Congress, which was
chief cause Of evil and the greatest obstacle to
recovery, must have been blessing somehow,
and a cause Of improvement That is about as
reasonable as he notion which the Nations re-
coYcry after the civil war put into some minds.
he losses sustained in four years Of conflict
were terrible, and would have crushed most
other nations, or subjected their people for one
or two generations 10 such stress of taxation and
pinching as to modify their institutions if not
to change for all time their very character.
In the United States this tremendous struggle
wa followed 10y such growth, such prosperity
and such rapid advance in general wcl-being,
hat some were even tempted to consider a
ma ional debt n national blessing. The secret
was that the rccupcratiyc power Of the country
50 far exceeded all expectation that, in spite
Of burdens, the Nation progressed more rapidly
than other nations without them, until in their
amdzcmcnt some began to believe that the bur
den itself was in some miraculous way source
# strength.
How shall we realize something of the
Nations progress and power of growth Since
1850 the population has increased from 90
100000 to 6OOOOOOO an addition Of TO-
100000 inhabitants, about as many as Great
Britain has gained in thirty years, is lut one
of the elements at work. From abroad we have
added during the six years, by immigration |
alone, a population greater than that of the !
entire State Of Ohio or Illinois. Another nation, |
more populous than this Nation was when Il
achieved its independence, has been brought
to these shores across the sea since the last
census was taken. What is an able bodied in
haiitant worth That depends on where he
is IN some countries, where he can get neither
land nor freedom. neither opportunity nor slim
illus TO effort, he is worth but little. Here he
produces farms, cities and railroads he pro-
dUccs wealth far more than he consumes he
raises children, and they in turn add to Tie
producing power Of the Nation. But while a
population as large us that Of Ohio has come TO
us from across tie sea, another population
greater than that Of New York. Ncw-JcIscy AMI
Connecticut together in 1850 has been added
by natural increase in SIX years. Consider
what hose four States were and what they
produced in 1850, and then conceive that a
population az great as that of these four
States has been added to the country in SIX
years.
Growth III population, SURPRISING that OF
any Ohcr great nation, is but the lcas sur
prising feature in the Nations development
The census reported about $1,000 miles Of
railroad ON the 1st Of September we bad
$4,000 The Middle States had added one
third to their mileage; the States between
them and the Mississippi nearly One-thrd, the
Southern STATES nearly one-half, and
the States west of the Mississippi more than
one-half, over 10000 miles In four States
and one Territory Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa.
and Dakota, have been added 10000
miles. Then consider that every mile Of new
railway, i'll regions not already supplied brings
within ready reach of markets 6 400 acres Of
land, enough to support the entire population i
Of another town, and that we have added III
six Years the means Of supporting $4,000 such
towns J
But the money for this vast expense, whence q
lOes 1t come Have not the people ruined {
themselves by building faster than they can
With safety Once more let it lie rcmcm-
cred that this country is like no other under
nc sun in the rewards Of labor The people
If this land can save and do save, good years q
With bad, and add TO their permanent wealth v
Ot far from S9OO,OOO,OOO yearly, about five v
cntS day for every inhabitant. They save
nough in a single year TO build all the rail
say that has teen built for the last six years Il
t is because the people have great opporun- y
lies, because all have great stimulus to effort,
ocauSc all are well rewarded for industry, u
eCausc here the prizes within reach of enter u
rise are greater than anywhere clSc that this "
ountry does 90 forward when il can advance u
all, with great strides incOmpIchcnsiblc to "
i~crycrs Of other Lands, and rarely applc- Ut
iated to the full even by ourselves. Il
lC
THE CLOSE or PARLIAMENT u