St. Paul daily globe., 1890-01-19
GHOWth uF CITIES.

We are vafngloriOus people, and,
perhaps. eXcusabiy so. Our develop
ment as nation has been so quick and
wonderful we cannot help being boast
ful. yet we have indulged the habit of
putting ourselves until we have exposed
ourselves to the criticism of being a ma
ton of braggartS. Upon calm reflection
we must admit that we have overdone
the thing; for in some respects, if we had
been less satisfied with existing condi-
tionS, we would possibly have improved
them beyond the point that they have
been improved, and beyond that point
which is by no means the limit of i'm
prOyement.
Now that we are about to have new
census, giving an official statement of
our vast wealth and resources, and of
the progress the nation has made within
the last decade, it is appropriate that we
should give over our boaStiDg for a sea-
son and settle down to a contemplation
Of facts that have been developed ny
former censuses. and to study them with
relation to our future development.
There is one fact prominent above all
others in our national development
which has not received the atteu' On it
merits, for it may in measure explain
many of the social and Industrial COM
piicati0ns the age. We refer to the
excessive growth of the population of
cities and the corresponding decrease OF
the rural population. In 179J, when
our first census was taken, only one
fhIrtiafh nf Fl. q Iati . bc 4
States lived in cities of 5000 or over: in
1900, one-twenty-tfth; in 1910 and in
1920, one-twentieth; in 1880, one-six-
teenth; in 1910. une-twelfth; in 1850,
one eighth: in 1860, one-sixth; i'm 1870.
One-fifth. and in 1880. 29115 per cent, or
nearly One-fourth. There is something
in these figures worth studying. The
various census reports show that from
1890 to 1850 the wnOie population of the
country increased twelve-fuld, while
the city population increased eighty-siX-
fold. The census of 1890 will probably
show that nearly one-third of the total
population of this country reside in
cities. and il this ratio of increase In
city growth continues. possibly by 1900
nearly One-half of our people will be
city dwellers.
On the face of these figures 1t looks as
II it were our deliberate purpose to
abandon agriculture as the foundation
OF our national prosperity, and to rely
upon commerce and manufacturing as
the prime sources of our wealth. Is this
wise policy TO pursue? is a question
meriting the attention of American
craftsmanship. God has blessed the
United States, as no other nation OF
earth is blessed, with an eXpanse and
fertility of soil. Shall we deliberately
abandon this G0d-given resource OF
wealth and substitute artificial creations
Of our OVID device? The laws of com.
merce are self-enacting and self-opera-
ting if left free to operate. But the es-
tabliShment of manufacturing indus
tries is purely fictitious operation, and
dependent upon legislative fostering for
its growth. Our American policy is to
stimulate manufactures at the expense
of agriculture. Is this wisdom? We
may rs well ask if it is wise to substi-
tute human laws for the DEGREES of the
Almighty, and especially where they
conflict.
The prosperous countries of Europe,
even, with their oyercrowded popula-
ti0n, do not encourage city building.
Usually one large city answers the
purpose of capital and metropolis for
each nation, while the rural peasantry
are relied upon for the pillars of the
political fabric. Looking to the future,