The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-05
PROGRESS OF THE PRAIRIE STATES.

PROGRESS OF H PRAIRIE STATES.
The Journal presented, at the date Of
their publication, the interesting grouping
and comparisons of the statistics of the
distinguished British statistician, NJ. G..
Mulhall, regarding the Eastern and South
ern States, which have been published in
the North American Review. That maya
zine for August contains the statistics of
that author showing the progress of the
twelve prairie States. In 1850 but seven of
these twelve States had an existence, Min
nesota, Kansas, Nebraska and the two Da-
kotas being of later date. The population
of the territory embraced in the twelve
States in 1850 was 5,4G2, 600; in 1890 it was
%, 1862, 900; in 1897 it is estimated to be &c.
1906 900. Between 1850 and 1880 the population
of the whole Union increased 165 per cent.
for white natives and 105 per cent. for
colored; the increase Of the former in the
prairie States was 285. and for colored 2l7
during that period. Only SO per cent. of the
population of the prairie States is of prairie
birth. The urban population has increased
from !, 766, 900 in 1870 to 5,493, 900 in 1890, and
was at the last date one-third of the en-
tire population of the twelve States where
as in 1870 the rural population was six and
a half times as great as the urban. The
growth of the urban population has been
four times as great as that Of the country.
Foreign population has done much for the
prairie States. 1t numbered 1850, 900 in 1890
and is estimated to be 6, 450, 900 now. This
population is one-third of Minnesota, Wis
consin and Dakota. OF the ~foreign-born
population the Germans are 40 per cent,
the Scandinavians IS per cent. and the Irish
II. These immigrants have given steadiness
and thrift to whole States.
The prairie States are the home of ag-
riculture in the new world, producing two
thirds of the grain and half the live stock
of the Union. In 1850 these States yielded
So bushels of grain per capita; in 1870, 81
bushels; in 1890, lis bushels. These figures
may have something to do will prices.
Rapid as has been the growth of popula-
ton, the progress of agriculture has been
more marked, as there were but five acres
under cultivation per capita in 1850 and over
eight acres in 1890. Even Indiana had IL, no.
900 improved acres in 1890 to $780, 900 in
1850. In 1850 the improved acres per capita
were 81, and in 1890 So. From 1850 to 1890
the improved acres in farms increased at
the rate of 1900 acres daily. This means
that the improved area of the prairie
States, between 1850 and 1890, exceeded the
total superficial area of the German en-
pire, Holland, Belgium and Denmark col
Iaotiualu Com 7antipr 11nop thic Mr. Mn1-
hall says that there has been nothing like
this in the history of mankind, nor is there
in any part of the world where farming
is on so gigantic a scale, the census of
1890 showing a grain crop equal to three
tons to each inhabitant, or ten times the
European average"
There is one farm hand to AZ acres of
in the South, and one to 81 acres in the
prairie States. One hand in the prairie
States raises as much food as five in the
most advanced countries of Europe, due,
Mr.. Mulhall says, to the use of agricul-
tural machinery, labor yet being so cheap
in some parts of England, France and
Germany that the reaping hook is still seen.
0AAACS ACCN NAO o ~
In the prairie States has been 1886, 900, 900,
or $3.50, 900, 900 per a~nnum-that is to say,
each farming hand increased the public
wealth 500 a year" Commenting upon a
table comparing the number and value of
farms In the prairie States in 1850 and 1890,
Mr.. Mulhall says:
In the economic history of the United
States there is perhaps no lesson more
striking and instructive than that contained
in this table. Less than half a century has
Sufficed for a comparatively small number
of farmers to convert the western pralrieS
into the most productive regions OF the
globe, and to create and build up as flour
fishing a community as can be found to-day
in either hemisphere.
A table is presented which shows that
three prairie farmers possess as much
wealth as four French. six German or thir-
teen Austrian farmers, while their taxes
are much lighter and they are free from
military service"
Turning to manufactures, Mr.. Mulhall
shows that in 1850 the prairie States had
only one factory worker to seven farmers,
whereas in 1890 there were five workers in
factories and shops to eleven on the farms.
In 1850 the number employed in factories,
etc, was Ill, 600. with $50. 900, 900 of wage
a year. or an average of 500 per capita; in
1880, the number thus employed was 1,4U7, 900,
receiving $672, 900, 900 in wages. or an aver
age of $47S per capita.
The total wealth Of the twelve prairie
States was $25, 256, 900, 900 in 1S9O-an average
of $1,130 per capita, divided as follows:
Farms, $S,511, 600, 900; houses, $S,055, 900, 600;
railways, s. 1887, 900, 600; sundries, 81, 1853, 000, 900.
The wealth of these States has multiplied
six-fold in thirty years, while it only doub-
les in fifty years in Great Britain. Mort
cages are relatively less in the prairie
States than in the Eastern, amounting to
one-seventh of the real estate.
There are many more interesting COM
parsons in Mr.. Mulhalrs article which dis
prove the dismal assertions of the calam-
ityite.
NAVAL. STR ENGTH.