The age-herald., 1897-11-13
Comparative Growth.

In recent article in Leslie's Weekly a well-informed writer gives some inter- estingfigures in regard to the growth Of population in different countries. The following statistics are worth studying:
 In 1875 the population of Germany was 4.16S,473 greater than that of the United States in 1870 In 1895 the popu- lation of Germany was 10,851, ,966 less than that of the United States in 1890. At the time the German census was taken in 1895 the estimated population of this country was, in round numbers, 69,000 000, or 17,o00, GOO greater than that of Germany. In 1875 the population of the two countries must have been nearly the same, while now that of ithe United States is one-third greater than that of Germany During the period of twen- ty years the German increase was 21 per cent, while that of the United States was 63 per cent.
 In Germany there are 204 persons to the square mile; in the United States there were only 19 in 1S90 In England there are 497, and in France 127. If the United States. exclusive of Alaska, should have the same density of popula- tion as Germany. as Gladstone has pre- dicted for the end of another century, the total number of cur people would exceed GIT, 100000 or nearly ten times
 
 would be nearly twice the present popu- lation of Europe, and a. third more than the estimated population of China.
 While the increase of our population in the twenty years was 63 per cent, and that of Germany 21 per cent. the in crease in England and Wales was 28 per cent. In France there was an actual decrease during part of the period, while the increase in the latter years was very small. The condition of France in this respect is commonly ac- counted for as result of the law which prohibits entail and divides property equally among the children of French parents.
 The only political division of Europe that approaches the United States in the matter of numbers is European Russia, which has about our own population. The whole Russian empire, including the Asiatic divisions, has population of 113, ,354 649. Its increase in twenty years was 26, 76S, ,6S5, or only 2,704,756 more than the increase in the United States, the percentage, of course, being smaller At the present rate it will require but a few years for the United States to take the lead of All the Russias, our only re- maining rival among civilized nations in point of population.
 If the reader will digest these figures he cannot fall to come to the conclusion | that this country is bound to leap for ward Tn The course ol the next teH pr | fifteen years, to the head of the interna- | tional procession. Ict | If the government will give usa any | thing like a sensible and just system of | finance, tariff and taxation the scouh- try will build up rapidly; new and bet ter home markets will spring up; con- sumption will catch up with production and the producer and the wage-farner will. again enjoy prosperity The people are ready ito do theif part but the government must do somSthing Even the advantages of nature wall moi l forever support a people who have to contend with the blunders and extortion l of a. badly administered government.