The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-02
A Wonderful Nation.

Today the republic of the United
States has no rival on the face of the
globe in natural resources in wealth
in the general 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-one
states and five territories, if We in
clude among the territories the Dis.
trict of Columbia. The area then
was, it is now, not including the
Alaska purchase, 3,O02,S62 square
miles. The population was less than
25,OOO,0O0. West Virginia was the
center of population. The popula.
ton in the territory, west of the Mis-.
sissippi river. a territory 9, 135, $40
miles in extent, was at this time only
1000, 404. 1t was supposed that
most of this extensive area was com.
posed of desert lands and alkali
plains.
The old school biographies dis.
played in conspicuous letters a "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 transmits,
sissippi region today includes twelve
states and nine territories, and the
United States census of 1880 gave it
population OIL, 259, 800. In 1856
the value of all property west OF
the Mississippiriver was, in the states,
$500, 704 40 and in the territories
$11 ,224 ,026. In 1880 this had in
creased to territories to $2,994 900.
900,
The ratio of increase in values
throughout the entire country was
Just as remarkable. In 1850 the
value of real and personal property
in the United States was 81, 1876, 7SO-
1928. In 1880 the value wos $43,-
642,OOO,0O0. The population
has increased from 23,191 ,S76
in 1850 to 5O,152, S66 in
1880. The center of population
is in the vicinity of Indianapolis,
Indiana. The growth in the pro-
ductiveness of the soil is just as
phenomenal. In 1S49 the corn crop
was 500, OF, 1O4 bushels. In 1879
it was LISA, 521, $40 bushels. The
wheat crop in 1S49 was 100, 4S5, 944
bushels and in 1879 it was 459, 49,
1877 bushels. The corn acreage in
1S49 was 25, 100000 acres; in 1870
it was 60, 900, 900 acres. The wheat
acreage in 1S49 was 100000
in 1879 it was 35, 43O, 1873. In 1853
the mileage of the railroads was 49,
90S. In 1882 there were in OPERA
ton ia $50 miles OF railroads.
If this percentage of growth con-
tinues in the next half century where
shall we be as nation? The i'm
migration is increasing every
year. 1t seems that Europe
is already too full to hold with
profit it's rapidly growing population.
Look at the immigration figures and
note the remarkable increase. In
1881 the number ofimmigrants were
500 ,431; in 1882, 7SS,992; in 1888,
500, 1922; in 1884, SIS, 592; in 1885,
395, 346; in 1886, 334 ,203; 1887,
509,281. Making a total immigra-
ton in seven years of 3,819, 1877.
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 mile of territory in the
United States was 1870. In the
same year the ratio of population
In the British isles was $780,
40; in China il was 260,59; in
Germany, 1918; France, 1869;
Japan, 212.S9; British India,
223.56; Belgium. 461.95. If the
ratio of the population in this coun-
try were equal to the present ratio
of population in France we should
have a population of 531, S46,5 $50.
This growth, at the rate of increase
SO far observed in our material pro-
gress would give us this population
in decade less than a century.
Thirty years from now at the same
percentage of increase, our popu-
lation will be ITO, 1S6,31O. In fifty
years it will be 1876, 214,864. There
is indeed, no limit to the greatness
of the American republic.-Detroit
Free Press.