Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-04-19
A NATIONS WEALTH.
ENORMOUS GAIN IN THE PAST
TEN YEARS.
Census of 1900 Will Show an Increase
of $45,Ooo,ooo,oOo Since 1890, and
the Largest Weelth Per Capita of
Any Nation in the World.

According to all present indications
the Federal census of 1900 viii be
record-breaking one. If the present
rate of Increase Is maintained 1t will
show a total accumulated wealth not
far from $4,000 100000, or nearly 10
per cent. more than the amount shown
by the census of 1890. BY the Federal
census of 1890 the aggregate material
wealth of the United States, compared
with the wealth of Great Britain, was
less in ships and merchandise, but ex-
ceeded in many other items. The real
estate of this country was then valued
at $4,000, 100000, the live stock at ST.,
000,000.000, the railroads at $4,000, O0O,-
000, manufactures and their contents
at S3,000,000,000, mines and quarries
S1,000,000,000, and gold and silver coin
81, 100000. In 1860 the wealth of
the United States was estimated at
$4,000, 100000; in 1870 at So, GOO, 0OO.-
000; in 1880 at $4,000, 100000, and in
1890 at $65, 00O, 900, 900.
According to the estimate of Mulhall,
published in 1892, The wealth of ma
tions was as follows for the chief coun-
tries, for lands. farm utensils, bullion,
cattle, houses, furniture, railroads,
shipping. merchandise and sundries;
United States ....... .$65, 00O, 0OO, 600
United Kingdom ........ 1900, DOC, 900
France .......... 42,5G0, 000, 600
Germany .......... $4,000, 000, 600
Russia ..... ..... 25,000,000, 900
Austria ......... 1900 ,000, 900
Italy 100000
Spain -. 1000, 000, 900
Australia ....... $500, 000, 900
Belgium 5000, 900, 900
Holland ......... 1900, 100000
Canada .....> 4, 900, 0O0, 900
On an estimated basis of $4,000
100000 as the total wealth and of To-
100000 as the population in 1900, the
average wealth per capita in the United
States will show an increase of from
$1,000 in 1890 to 81, 466 in 1900, or con-
siderably greater than that of any other
nation. Heretofore the United States
has ranked fifth among the nations in
wealth per capita, the figures being
ST. 200 for the United Kingdom, SLIGO
for Denmark, 81 ,120 for France, S1,0S0
for Holland, and si,050 for the United
States.
The increase of $4,000, 200, 900 in the
total wealth of the United States in the
decade closing with 1900 is unparal-
leled in the history of nations. 1t rep
resents a larger sum than the aggregate
wealth of any other country ten years
ago, with the single exception of the
United Kingdom, while the total Of
0,000,000,000 will be nearly double
that of the next wealthiest country.
The Federal census takes account of
statistics by decades only. If the
twelfth census could show the correct
figures for intervening years-for ex-
ample, the aggregate national wealth
for 1895, under the fearful depression
of values following the enactment of
the Wilson-Gorman free trade tariff of
1S94-the contrast would be startling
one. Equally startling would be the
contrast between the national wealth
per capita in 1892, when protection and
prosperity went hand in hand, and that
of 1895, when free trade had begun its
deadly work.
Unfortunately, these contrasts can
not be shown, and the countless bill
lions of shrinkage in material wealth
growing out of a ruinous economic pol
icy can scarcely be Appropriated,
much less accurately estimated. 1t is
enough that the American people know
in general way the tremendous differ
ence between then and now; that they
perfectly understand what made the
country poor and what has assisted
to bring about the $4,000, 100000 of
increase in national wealth in ten years
to the present stupendous total of $11O,-
0OO,OOO,000.