The true northerner., 1900-12-28


learning and social and mate
tSsl<t<zl rial progress for the next CEN
e~--=.--S tury equal 10 that OF the last he
would certainly be set down rs dream
er. Thinkers who are not pessimists be-
lieve that in many directions the limit, or
about that. has been reached.
In mechanical inventions the nine
teenth century achieved wonders which
recall Aladdin and his lamp. Yet bold
scientists declare that we may expect
revelations of hidden energy in the sun
and earth and air. which may be harness
ed to do the work of mankind. Tesla be-
lieves in the possibility of n solar en-
gine. he considers wireless telegraphy
proved beyond doubt, is working at a
teleautomaton which will be simply a
mentally endowed mechanism and de-
clares that he has discovered electrical
oscillations which will produce steady
light without the aid of lamps, incan-
descent ilaments or wires.
Tesla also predicts an industrial revo-
luton in the dethronement of iron and
the elevation of aluminium He estimates
the civilizing potency OF aluminium as
100 times greater than that of iron and
its bulk available for man 80 times
greater. Liquid air, while marvellous
discovery, he holds can never be CONNER
cially profitable.
The sole aim of the scientist, Tesla in
sists, should be the increase of human
energy and in that way the increase of
human happiness Material advancement
is only n means TO social advancement,
and so after all the la1dmarks of progress
are the monuments of social changes.
The conditions Of life for the masses up
on this globe 100 years hence are of more
consequence as speculative topic even
than the rare culture or superiot develop
ment of a few or a class. What will be
the conditions Of life, and especially what
the degree Of immunity from grinding
TOLL from hunger and from disease, in the
year 20O1? 1t may be assumed that in
the United States, If anywhere. the prog
ress will be steady for another century.
The country is conn aratively new and its
resources only partially developed. Should
the population increase for the next 100
years in the same proportion as in the
last 20 years it will then contain about
4OO.O00,0O0 souls. In 1901 the popula-
tiOn was about 100000, which is but
100000 more than the population Of
Greater New York and the Jersey
suburbs today. New York should have
population at the end of the twentieth
century of over 20,000.000 if its growth
remains norm.l and proportionate to that
of the whole country upon the above cal
culaton.
AT present New York attracts about
one-eighteenth Of the total population Of
the country and Chicago about one-half
as many as New York. In another hun
dred years Chicago should have a popu-
latiUn of about 100000. Philadelphia
100000. Boston, st. Louis and Balti
more each 100000. Cincinnati. Buffalo,
Cleveland, New Orleans and Pittsburg
100000 each and Detroit, Milwaukee
and Minneapolis 100000. in that era a
population OF 100000 will be- nothing
extraordinary for a thriving inland city,
and this conclusion is borne out 10y the
history of densely populated countries in
the Old world.
The great Industrial future which
seems fixed by the hand Of fate for this
country will for generations at least tend
TO the growth of cites. Not alone that,
but the attractions Of city life will draw
10 them a mass of people still having
commercial interests remote from the
towns. The rapid means OF communica-
tion will permit the landowner and the
country manufacturer TO dwell i'm the city
the greater part OF the year and still look
after their business interests at dis
tance And what marvels of cheapness
and convenience those cities Of the future
will be. Municipal ownership OF all en-
terprises which conduce TO public con-
venence the railways. boats. telegraph,
heating and lighting plants, of libraries
and perhaps of amusemeuts. will reduce
the cost OF city life. which now appalls
the economical visitor. to n merely nomi-
nal sum.
AT present the tide Of population sets
toward the cities. and while this must
change eventually a century is nothing in
the life OF nation. and leaving out the
probability of some great social upheaval
forcing the people back TO the soil there
seems no reason why the commercial and
industrial development of 1901 should
not continue TO the end of the century
and not then have reached its limit.
The danger to health of massing mil
lions of people in cities must be over
come by scientific appliances and discov-
cries Cities of the old world have been
depopulated by epidemics which would
not be allowed TO run their course today.