The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-02
OUR COMPARATIVE GROWTH.
1t Will Not he Long Until We Shall
Exceed Russia in Numbers.

Exceed Russia in Numbers.
Lesie's Weekly
1t is unfortunate that the various nations
have no uniform methods of demonstrating.
Comparisons are difficult. in some cases inn
possible. 1t would be interesting TO make
a detailed comparison between the German
census for 1895, the results of which are now
in course of publication. and the United
States census for 1880. but owing to the diff
ter Of population. The relative growth can
be shown by twenty-year periods, although
the census years are different:
United States.-
Population.
1874 % 6z5 540
1870. SSo5S,31
Increase. 2406S. 500
Germany
I ISss'
Increase. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 9,O4344
In 1875 the population of Germany was
4,l6S.47S greater than that of the United
Germany was 10.S .966 less than that of the
United States in $780, At the time the Ger
man census was taken in 1895 the estimated
population of this country was, in round
numbers, 69.C00,0O0, or 100000 greater than
that of Germany. Ia 1876 the population of
the two countries must have been nearly
the same, while now that of the United
States is one-third greater than that OF
Germany. During the period of twenty
While that of the United States was IS per
cent
square MILE in the United States there were
only nineteen in 1880. In England there
are 497 and in France 1T. If the United
States, exclusive of Alaska, should have the
same density of population as Germany, as
Gladstone has predicted for the end of an-
other century, the total number of our peo-
times that shown by the census of 1890.
This would be nearly twice the present pop
ulation OF Europe, and 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 q per cent, the increase in
England and Wales was IS per cent. In
France there was an actual decrease dur
ing part of the period while the increase
in the latter years was very small The
condition of France in this respect is COM
monty accounted for as result of the law
which prohibits entail and divides property
equally among the children of French par
entS. 1t is assumed that the desire of men
to leave intact for the glory of their name,
as large a fortune as possible induces them
to limit their progeny to single child.
The United States census, in classifying
the population according to occupation, in
cludeS only those actually employed, ana
not those who are dependent on them: The
German census classifeS as engaged in ag-
riculture, for example, not only those who
do farm work, but also their minor chill
dren. This rule seems to be applied to per-
sons engaged in mining and manufactures.
in commerce. and in some other employ p, ~
persons are returned as engaged in agri-
culture, while in the United States only s.
376,479 are so reported. In Germany 20253,-
241 souls depend on mining and manufac-
lures, and nearly 6.0000Op on commerce. In
domestic service there are SS6S07, While in
this country 1,500 900 are employed as serv-
ants. This is significant of the wide differ
ence in social and family life in the two
countries. In the service of the German
state there are 2,S35 22S persons, including
many railway employees.
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 Rus
sian empire, including the Asiatic divisions,
has a population of 113. 354 649. It's increase
in twenty years was 26. 635, or only 27O4,-
756 more than the increase in the United
States, the percentage, of course being
smaller. At the present rate it will require
but few years for the United States to
take the lead Of all the Russias, our only
remaining rival among civilized nations in