The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1891-07-16
FAMINE OF The furuRe

FossiDiutios VI TING SxtinctiOu Of the
Human Rscc BY Starvation;
Mr.. Ravenstetn. member b che
British association for the advancement
Of science, has been computing. the
probable increase of the human face on
the earth. He arrives at the startling
conclusion that In l82 years the density
Of population upon the globe win ke such
that the means Of subsistence win BE- In
adequate to It's support He estimates
the population of the world Of tile pres
emit year at 1,46s. 0O0, 600. He finds that
the average increase every ten years Is
about per cent
The section Of the country still open to
colonization comprises parts OF Africa,
North and South America, Australia,
some outlying islands, the stepbes and
deserts. The total area Of all the habit.
able lands In the world is over 46, BOZ, 900
Of square miles. OF this area the fertile
or comparatively fertile lands ais, over
eS, 0O0, 600 Of square miles, the barb grass
lands or steppes $4,000, 900, and the bare
deserts 1000, $50 square miles ..tr..
To the steppes he allocates ropula-.
ton Of ten to the square mile, and 70 the
desert regions one to the squard mile
The bulk Of the population would there
fore, have to subsist on The g. oo, zoe
square miles Of fertile landa C6mpar-
ing the density Of populatiou--i1 India
ITS to the square mile, In Chind 296 10
the square mile and in Japan 9e4to the
square mile-he arrives at the 66ncau-'
sion that world population oil eoT 70
the square mile In the cultivable regions
would be fair estimate vs. ss.gs
This sO7 persons to the squarS mile
will be reached in 1S2 years at the pres-
emit rate Of increase. when the total pop
ulation Of the cultivable area would be
$3.50, 7OO, 900. and the total number the
earth would feed Q, 994, 000, 900. 4.i.s i
Any further increase Of popfllatton
must either be provided for by q d6minu-
ton Of subsistence to each individual or
by some improved mode Of production,
or by keeping down the future birth rate
below the death rate. Mr.. Ravehstein,s
statistics do not concern Us Of the pres
emit generation very vitality. Wegcan
leave the solution to our greatigrand-,
children We have increased and null
tiplied very comfortably In spite LOT the
lugubrious warnings Of Mr. Nautilus,
and perhaps they also win multiply and
increase in spite Of Nh. Ravenstein. ai d
II any race must go to the wall itmay
be confidently predicted It will not be
the white race. There will be 10 Dar-
winian survival Of the fittest The weak:
er races will disappear before the
stronger. The Indian will ultimately
vanish from this continent. and the Afrf.
can in his native land bids fair 10 be
decimated.
The tendency Of population to the cities
must also be taken into account tih any
comparison Of people to areas Of reason
able subsistence. Concentration tnlarge
towns always tends to increased. broduo.
ton within wide circuit around them,
especially In the line Of fruits and yege-
tables. Two hundred years hence the
desert lands which Mr.. Ravenstein re-
CARDS as incapable Of cultivation may
blossom as the rose. Already irrigation
is working wonders in the unpr9mising
Soil In some of our western statea Mod
ern science viii teach many ways Of IN
creasing the food supply.
Mr.. Ravenstein's speculations ere
plausible and his statistics suggestive
enough. but the figures Of today may be
utterly falsified by the figures OF 300
years hence. Many things may Inter
vene In the meantime to keep down pop
ulation or increase the food supply. The
extinction Of the race by starvation IS 9
very remote contingency indeed. and
Mr.. Ravenstein's lS2 years bid fair 10
stretch out indefinitely before that con-
dngency occurs. Baltimore Sun. I'll