The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-06
Facts About Our Country.

So many pessimistic predictions have
been made concerning the future of this
country that it is refreshing to take a look
at the bright side. A recent writer says;
The United States has a population of at least
62000,C00 at this moment. This makes it second in
this particular among the great civilized nations
OF the world. Keeping in view the ratio of growth
OF q countries named between recent census peri
DDS, there today about IS 000O00 inhabitants in
European Russia, 1900 600 in Germany, 40C00,000
in Austro Hungae 100000 in France, 81 1000 600
in Great Britain and Ireland, 500 coo in Italy and
100000 in 81 ain The population of none of the
the other countries in Europe reaches 10000 00O--
Turkeys inhabitants outside of Asia aggregating
scarcely half that figure. Russia alone of the great
powers of Chrstendom exceeds the United States in
population. Even Russia must soon be left far in
the rear. on July l, 1850, when the next national
enumeration takes place, the United States will
have 81 100000 inhabitants 1t will have 100000 0
the year 1860, and 12i000,000 in 1910 This com
putaton is based on the average growth of the
country during the century. Employing a like
basis for Russia, that nation before 1910 will have
dropped TO second place, the United States taking
the first.
But there is much more to be said. DR..
Barrows, in his work, "The United States
of Yesterday and of Tomorrow" calls at
tention to the fact that Texas is five times
as large as England, thirty-four times larger
than Massachusetts,. The entire living pop
ulation of the globe, 1,400, 100000 people,
divided into families of five persons each,
could be located in Texas, each family with
a house lot of half an acre, and there
would still remain 100000 family lots.
DR.. Barrows also says that Oregon, Wash
ington territory and Idaho are twice the size
of England, Ireland and Scotland, leaving
a remnant nearly as large as Connecticut.
Our territory acquired by the war with Mex
leo is 104 times as large as the state of Mas
sachusetts.
But if some of our states and territories
are immense, what shall be said of the
estates of some of our private citizens? The
Lake Voorhees, cattle range, in Wyoming,
contains 200, 900 acres, 900 being en-
closed by single wire fence. Mrs. Rogers,
a Texas cattle queen, herds 10000 cattle on
100000 acres. Goodnight, of Texas, has an
estate seven-eights as large as Rhode Island,
with 100, 000 cattle. Richard King has
100000 acres. Mr. Noone owns tract in
California twenty-four miles by sixteen,
and another ranch is larger than the state
of Connecticut.
In such a country how can there be any
overcrowding or any pauperism? Our peo-
pie have only TO make the right use of their
opportunities TO become the happiest, most
prosperous and powerful nation on the
globe. There is land enough for all, and it
is difficult for us to look forward to the time
when the intelligent, sober and industrious
poor man will not be able to own o home.
This, after all, is the basis of enduring
happiness, prosperity and social order. \
republic OF homes is bound to have a bright
future before it.