The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-12

European and American Urban Com
munities Increasing I'm Population.

cleveland Pla1n Dealer.
In 1901 Scotland had 100000 people. nearly
all living in the country. In 1881 she had
100000 people, 2,631, 800 living in cities and
$500 in the country. In 1888 there were
in Manchester. England. only. $4,000 people,
while now within a radius of twenty miles
from the town hall there are 10000 people.
all living on the manufactures. The census
shows that in all England there are 2o,So0.-
600 people in cities and 100000 in rural dis
tricts, an increase OF 1873 per cent from 1881
to 1891, while the rural districts increased
only. "a per cent. That wonderful growth
In these cities is almost all to be credited
TO the steam engine.
II we go across over into France we find
that the population since the discovery of
steam has more than doubled in its manu-
featuring towns. In Prussia, since the Fran
co-Pruss1an war, the population has in
creased 20 per cent in decade. Berlin, the
capital, is eight times as large as IL was in
1881, just about the time when steam began
to be introduced. Holland and Belgium
show steady increase in the city popula-
ton over the rural districts.
r The most wonderful growth of cities has
been in the United States, and all this great
growth since the introduction of steam,
ana the real life Of these cities is manu-
featuring. 1t is this indbstrial life which
mas increased the population of cities and
made them the greatest power. Up to the
beginning OF the war of the rebellion per-
maps per cent. Of the population of this
country was in cities; to-day 80 per
cent. live in cities.
This new industrial life, this large growth
or cities, this immense population under
city government presents new conditions
In law and In all the laws Of life. The pop
ulation has outgrown the ordinary ideas
or government, and the day is not very
far distant when cities will have to be
free and almost independent of State gov
ernments If 1T was a wise policy in the
rural age OF the republic or If ii is to-
day, for these rural districts to take care
OF themselves and all their local affairs,
certainly the principle is just as applicable
to the government of cities Of to-day. This
question Is fast coming to the front-it
cannot be long put off. This is great
age OF development of industrial and COM
mercial life, and this new life requires
different conditions from the ordinary coun-
try life. The people who live in localities
know best what they want and If they
pay the bills they ought to have what they
the rights of others.
In 1900 we had In the United States six
cities, but only one with over 1900 people.
In 1850 we had but one city with 100000 peO-
ple and only three with 10000 people In
1880 we had lie cities with over 1900 people,
thirty-five with 5000 people and fourteen
with 10000 people. In 1900 the total popu-
lation of the United States was 5,30s, 4S3; in
1890 it was g. $40, $50 people. The total city
population in 1900 was 2l0,S73, and the rural
population was 5,O97, 610, 397 per cent. of
the total population then living in our cities.
In 1850 the city population was 2.S97, $50 and
the rural population was 20. go, or 12.49
per cent. in cities. In 1890 the city popula-
ton was 1S.2S4.3S5, while the rural popula-
ton A, 337 S65, city population being
2e.20 per cent of the total population. This
shows that while our rural population in
forty years doubled, the city population in
creased skiold.
To-day one-thrd of all our people live in
cities. In 100 years our total population has
increased sixteen-fold, but the city popula-
ton is 140 times greater than 1t was 100
years ago. This increase has been almost
entirely since the introduction of steam
power and the consequent industrial era
which it created.