Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-11-14
A WONDERFUL NATION.
a Glance Mt the Past and Prophecy OF
the Future-GrOwth.

a Glance Mt the Past and . Prophecy OF
the Future-GrOwth.
Today the republic Of the United States
has no rival on the face of the globe in
natural resources, in wealth, in the gen
eral intelligence of its people. There is
little use in taking a glance over the past,
for nearly every man Of intelligence is
familiar with the history Of the country.
He knows that dozen years less than
half a century ago the republic Of the
United States included thirty-onc states
and five territories, if we include among
the territories the District OF Columbia.
The area then was, as il Is now, not in
Guiding the Alaska purchase, 5000, 500
square miles. The population. was less
than %, 000,0 West Virginia was the
center of popnation. The population in
the territory west of tho Mississippi river,
q territory 2,lG;J, $40 miles in extent, was
at this time only 1904 It was
supposed that most of this extensive area
was composed of desert lands and alkali
plains. .a.
The old school biographies displayed
in conspicuous letters Great American
Desert" which by the hand Of man has
since been transformed into as fertile
and productive farms as any in the east.
This trans Mississippi region today in
cludes twelve states and nine territories,
and the United States census of 1880
gave it a population Of 1889, $50. In
1850 tho value of all property west Of
the Mississippi river was, in the states,
$500, 704, 470 and in the territories $11.-
924, 026. In 1880 this had increased to
SO, 110, 900, 900 in the states and in the
territories to So, O94, 600, 900.
The ratio of increase in values through
out the entire country was just as re-
markable. In 1850 the value of real and
personal property in tho United States
was $7,13J, $50, 1913. In 1880 the value
was $43, GAG, 600, 900. Tho population has
has increased from %, 191 1915 in 1850 to
so, 152, 500 in 1880. Tho center of popu-
lation is in the vicinity of indianapolis,
Ind The growth in tho productiveness
of tho soil is just as phenomenal. In
1S49 the corn crop was 502, OH ,104 bush
els In 1879 it was 1854, 521, 070 bush
els. Tho wheat crop in 1S40 was 10o,-
49,, 044 bushels and in 1879 it was
$50. 4S3.l3 bushels. The corn acreage
in 1910 WINS 25. 100000 acres; in 1870 it
was G2. 600. 600 acres Tho wheat acreage
in 1S40 was 10,O00.000 acres; in 1870 it
was 81. 430. G33. In 1853 the mileage of
the railroads was l3,009 In 1882 there
were i'll operation IA, $50 miles OF rail
roads.
If this percentage of growth continues
in the next half century whore shall we
be as nationl The immigration is ia
crcasinS every year. 1t seems that Gu
rope Is already too full to hold with
profit its rapidly growing population.
Look at the immigration figures and note
the remarkable increase. In 1881 tho
number of immigrants were G60.431 in
1882. 7SS. 002; in 1888, COS, 500; in 1884,
5f8,502; in 1885, 800, $40; in 1896, 3d.
203; 1887, 500, 1881. Making total inn
migration in seven years of 3,Sl9,1G7
This immigration will increase rather
than diminish, 1t will be many years
very many years-before the ratio Of
population in this republic equals that Of
the older countries today.
In 1880 the ratio Of population per
square milo of territory in the United
States was 1910. In the same year the
ration of population in tho British isles
was 260.49; in China it was 2G0.50; in
Germany, 1917. AS; Franco, 1860; Japan,
212.S9; British India, 223.5G; Belgium,
461.05. 1.-THE ratio of population in this
country were equal to the present ratio
of population in France we should have
a population of 531, S46, 5S3. This growth,
at the rate of increase SO far observed in
our material progress, would give us this
population in a decade less than cen
tury. Thirty years from now, at the
same percentage OF increase, our popuia-
ton will be 10, 1s0,310 In fifty years
it will be 1876. 214,sG There is, indeed,
no limit to the greatness Of the American
republic Detroit Free Press.