New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-24
NATION THAT GROUS.

II Americans only comprchcnde1 the enormous
wealth. resources and recupcratvc power OF the
Nation. many Of the gravest and most costly
hlunde:s would be avoided. All are accustomed
to say. in hours Of Joyous confidence, that We
h,ve ,hc greatest country on earth: but there
ore moi many who carry with them. i'll their
everyday transactions and judgments. Just
ouprcciation Of It's riches and power. The worst
errors of the last TWO years would have been
ESCAPED if the people and their rulers had fair
" measured the vast underlying strength Of the
froo noonlc who make this Nation what II Is
Tho immortal Shakespeare hits Il curious trait
of human nature when he makes his boaslful
country magnate speak Of himself rs "one who
hath had losses" We sometimes measure Il
man bv the sum which he is able tn lose TWO
vo,rs Of extraordinary stress and misfortune
have cost the country an enormous s,im-morc
than the entire wealth Of any OF the nations
in the world except n very few. YET, al'er All
This disaster. the people are not only able but
willing 10 back their own Government WIN
loans amounting to hundreds Of millions. There
is no empty boastfuncss in these offers "f
money 70 an embarrassed Treasury. The pco-
nile offer their gold only because the shrewdcst
Of them cannot find anywhere else In the world
n safer or more profitable investment Tor H.
one reason is that the growth or the Natioh
is WONDERFUL and is likely 10 continue Tor many
years TO come The increase in population j.
remarkable but relatively insignificant WEI
coming the poorest well as the richest ihiihi-
grants from other lands. we add TO popula'loh
so rapdy that in any other country on the globe
the gain in wealth or in annual production
might be surpassed and overshadoWei' so tha'
the recurring decades would bring lower aver
age Of wealth or of yearly product Tor cach III
habitant But here the gain in aggregate wealth.
Is not far from three times the gam III NUMBER
Of inhabitants Certain bonds were ISSUED re-
Gently payable thirty years hence. Today 'hey
pledge the faith OF 70,0O0,000 people with per
haps $4,000 100000 OF property. Thirty years
hence those same bonds. ~ the past rat" al III
crease may pledge the faith Of l3o'Wo,V~ Oh
free people but their wealth Ut the past rate 81
increase may be- S5OO.OOo, 100000. With wise
National policy The Nation nearly doubles ia
wealth in Il single decade. tn" d'bi when
represents Il per cent Of the annual net earnings
today is likely to represent little more than
one onc-hundredih OF / per cent ~ The annual
net earnings when the bonds fall due.
Growth is not merely in accumulated wealth
alone or mainly. II j. mainly In Nh" develop
mcnt of resources hitherto unavailabi" or M
used The subsection Of many million ceres "r
fertile land every year To cultivation means i""i
and clothing for larger share Of the cIrth
population Within a very few years mines nave
been brought into Use and activity In The Mes
sabi region and In parts Of the South when
turn out even in bad times more iron or" than
the whole country produced a short time ago.
The development Of the system OF railroad trans
portation though greatly retarded ~ late, shows
how vast has been the growth IN production ~
products requiring transportation. Al the past
rate Of increase this country might soon have in
operaiion more miles Of railway than now exist
in all the world The astonishing growth OF III"
electrical system. not only for transportation
and lighting, but also for supply Of power In the
industries is vrritablc new creation. today
in progress before orr eyes. and more rapid ana
fruitful in this country than in any other.
These are points which the genuine American
will not forget when he hears much. Is in those
DAYS he unhapplly must. Of the retarded growth
of the country of its enormous losses. and Of the
unwsdom and corruption prevailing In H. GOV
eminent 1t is a Nation which Is able 10 stand
almost any conceivable amount Of mining. lis
people have within themselves. in their in
ventiveness and energy and faculty for work
and for business, vastly greater gifts than the
boundlcss ply steal resources with which the
Creator has blessed the land they occupy.