The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-25
FAMINE OF The FUTURE.


Human Race by Starvation.
Mr.. Ravenstein, a member Of the
British association for the advancement
Of science, has been computing the
probable increase Of the human race on
the earth. He arrives at the startling
conclusion that in 1S2 years the density
OF population upon the globe will be such
that the means Of subsistence will be in
adequate to IT'S support. He estimates
the population Of the world Of the pres
ent year at /. ass. goo. eco He finds that
the average increase every ten years I
about s per cent.
The section Of the country still oDen to
colonization comprises parts Of Africa
North and South America, Australia
some outlying islands, the steppes and
deserts. The total area Of all the habit
able lands in the world is over 46, GOO, 0e0
Of square miles. OF this area the fertile
or comparatively fertile lands are oveI
2S 900, 900 Of square miles, the bare grass
lands or steppes II, 600, 900, and the bare
deserts 4, 1000, $50 square miles.
To the steppes he allocates pOpHla-
ton of ten TO the square mile, and to the
desert regions one to the square mile.
The bulk Of the population would. there
fore, have 10 subsIst on the 2S,000, 900
square miles of fertile lands. Compar-
ing the density of population-in India
10 to the square mile, in China 295 TO
the square mile and IN Japan 264 to the
square mile-he arrives at the cOnclu-
sion that world population Of 207 TO
the square mile in the culrivable regions
would be fair estimate.
This POI persons to the square mile
will be reached in 1S2 years at the pres
ent rate Of increase, when the total pop
ulation Of the cultivable area would be
1850, 700, 600. and the total number the
earth would feed 5, 994. 600, 600.
Any further increase Of population
must either be provided for by "a diminu-
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.. Ravenstein's
statistics do not concern US Of the pres
ent generation very vitally. We can
leave the solution to our great-grand-
children. We have increased and null
tipied very comfortably in spite Of the
lugubrious warnings OF Mr.. Nautilus,
and perhaps they also VIII multiply and
increase IN spite Of Mr.. Ravenstein.
If any race must go 10 the wall, it may
be confidently predicted it viii not be
the white race. There viii be Oar
winian survival of the fttest. The weak
er races viii disappear before the
stronger. The Indian VIII ultimately
vanish from this continent, and the Afri-
can in his native land bids fair to be
decimated.
The tendencyof population 10 the cities
must also be taken into account in any
comparison Of people 10 areas Of reason
able subsistence. Concentration in large
towns always tends to increased produc-
ton within wide circuit around them,
especially in the line Of fruits and vege-
tables. Two hundred years hence the
desert lands which Nr. Ravenstein re-
CARDS as incapable Of cultivation may
blossom as the rose. Already irri cation
Is working wonders in the uupr0misiug
soil in some Of our western states. Mod
ern science viii teach many ways Of in
creasIng the food supply.
Mr.. Rayenstein's speculations are
plausible and his statistics suggestive
enough, but the figures Of today may be
utterly falsifed by the figures Of 200
years hence. Many things may inter
vene in the meantime 70 keep down pop
ulation or increase the food supply. The
extinction Of the race by starvation Is "A
very remote contingency indeed, and
Mr.. RavenscaiH's 1sz years bid fair -
stretch cut indefinitely before that CON
tugeacy occurs. baltimore sun