The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-23
$500 Silk and Satin C. GO
EISENMANN'S. COG Seventh SC.s St.
Increase Of Russian Population.

tfr0m the JoGrnal des Debars.b
The peopling Of Russia has been long, slow,
and difficult work At the epoch when southern
Europe already had fourishing civilization bands
OF saSages were still wandering over the Russian
PLAIN. Ii required long centuries for them 10
2ggoneTate, to become farmers and finally to
found cities. which invasion OF AsiaIe nomads
never failed TO the end OF a dozen
years How many Inhabitants Russia possessed
al that time cannot be told The first censCs
presenting any guarantee OF epactitude, in I723,
shows l6.O00.000 Russians. In 1762 there We're
20,u1,GO0. In 1875, chiefly owing to the Polish
cGnquests OF CatharIne H. the population jump
cd to 81, coo 900. Conquests in Finland and
land account for the gain of 9.000.9 99 indicated
Icy the census Of Is09 The prGdigious increase
in the Russian population. due simply 10 the ex-
of births deaths commenced after this
date Without any important change in the from
ties. the inhabitants in 1857 numbered o., &c.,
900; IN ISIS 1900 900; in 1885, los 600 co., the
census Of January Is 1897, counted IZg. 600. 600
Russians, and at present there are fully $780,
0B0, 0G1. The Russian people has more than sex
tupled since the day when Chappe prophesied its
approaching end.
VIII this progress continue? There is no
reason to believe that it is destined TO slaczen.
Russia IS far from the influences which have
caused the decline in the birth rate OF other
European countries. If, indeed, the crldeness of
agricultural methods renders the crops OF the
peasant precarious; if the increase in births
olIEinishes proPortloEally the shares which the
mir, the grand Russisn village community, places
at the disposal OF its members, does the
mouyk know where 10 find feids2 The
southern Russia, the twentieth century VIII see
that OF Asia and Siberia. Il estimated that the
zone-about siNty-thHee miles wide-alcng which
the Trans-Siberlan Railway runs has the area
of central Europe, and that il can feed at least
900 human beings. When they Will exist
can be calculated with precision. In 1910 the
Russian people VIII have reached $50 600. 600; be-
tween 1880 and 1870. 20,009 GOO; at the md OF tn
twentieth century there viii be in all probability
800, coo Russizns- To enumeIate the ccnse-
quences of this enormous growth would be TO
- 'n1 her ETrIt hgN-a
which be surely foreseen; it Is the economic
and social Transformation Ct Russia
During centuries, this Land has only been
immense collection OF villages. An urban life
could not develop in a country where the con-
sumeTs were scattered, so distant from the
eenters of production that 1t was necessary TO
manufacture on the spot, almost in every village,
the necessaries Of existence The principal char
aeterfstles Of Russian life on which historians
and pmiologists have much dilated, are al
most entirely due TO this infinite dispersion
This condition is about to disappear: the
difference in density. between the population of
western Europe and Ct Russia is decreasing every
day 1t Is true that the last census gives to
Russia in Europe only fifty-one inhabitants per
square mile, while in France there are Iss: in
Germany, 2S5; IN England, SIG; in Belgium SIS
But IL must not be forgotten thai To find this
average, there have been included immense re
Ti0ns TO the north and TO the south which still
are and Will remain deserts. In the habitabe dis
tricts. a much higher average is attained; 80 to
ia IN Muscoyy. Isl TO 1914 in Poland, 1914 10 207
IN the greater portion of the basin Of the
Dniepe-- The urban population viii increase even
faster St Petersburg has already l,267 O00 souls;
Moscow, 9SS, 900; Warsaw. 614 600. After these
three capitals appear this year two cities which
have developed with almost American rapidity:
Odessa with s04 zoo inhabitants and LODI with
$4,000. After LODI Riga with 2S2 0e0
kief with $4,000. and twelve other cities with
100000 inhabitants: that is six more than
an France In twenty years the urban population
has doubled. Certain cities. like Ekaterinoslav,
for example, have doubled in much less time.
VIC eNclaIm iny0luntarily at the growth of Ber
Lin; look al the progress OF the Russian capitals.
St Petersburg lost in a desert tract on the
northern frontier of The Empire, viii perhaps
have difficulty TO reach 1900 CO., IL must soon
be surpassed by Moscow, with the advantage OF
central situation and immense railway sys-
tenn.