The progressive farmer., 1900-12-18
OUR COUNTRY's WONDERFUL GROWTH
IN A HUNDRED YEARS.

century the United States had s.
3O8. .483 people. The results of the
twelfth census, recently given out,
show that we are now a nation of
76, 295. 220 pepple ThiS means an
average increase of 7O9. 1857 people a
year for hundred years In other
words, each day of the nineteenth
century, on the average, 1,945 per
sons were added to the population.
If we carry the computation further
it is seen that Uncle Sam added one
new child to his family every minute
of the century that is now closing.
Next to Russia ours Is now the
largest nation of the civilized world.
Russia has 128, ,932, ,173 inhabitants,
but only about five per cent of the
people can read and write, and the
standard of development among the
masses is far below that of our coun-
try, so that America can fairly be
said to lead all the powers in the
number of intelligent people.
One hundred Years ago the United
States was at the foot of the list of
the great powers. Then Russia had
35 100000 France 81, $4,000, Ger
many %, 18O, 900 and the British Isles
1920, 900. Our increase of 70, 1885,
737 in a hundred, years places us
ahead of Germany with its 52,279,-
900 people, the British Isles with
40, 100000 people, and France with
its population of 80, 517, ,275. Ger
many has kept it's place as third on
the list, and the British Isles fourth,
while France has taken our place at
the bottom. However, it is to be
noted that the figures given above
do not include the colonial depen-
dencies of the powers named. Great
Britain with its colonies has a popu-
lation of 1886, 900, 1000, and France
63, 900, 900.
The latest estimates places Austro-
Hungary and japan close beside the
British Isles and France in point of
numbers, and next in order come
the following: Italy, %, 459, 900 !;
Turkey, q, 595 600; Spain II, ,565, 900 !;
Mexico, II, ,579, 900; Persia, 2, ,654, 900 !;
Belgian, 6 ,O3O, 900 ;Sweden, A. 785, 900 !;
Portugal, 4,7O8, 600; Holland, 4, $780,
600; Switzerland, 1888, 900; Den
mark, 2,172,OOO; and Norway,
1900. 600. ar
Some of our States make good
showing compared with the entire
population of certain foreign lands
The population Of Illinois is greater
than than that of Sweden. New
York has more people than the Bel
gian Empire. Missouri has more
than Switzerland Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and Texas
together have nearly as many inhab-
itants as Spain. Iowa, Indiana,
Georgia and Michigan each contain
more people than Denmark; and
Massachusetts. Kentucky, Tennessee
and Wisconsin each have more than
Norway. -e4
Since 1890 Wyoming has made a
gain Of sixty five per cent. in its
population, the best record of all the
States. The gain was from 6O,7O5
to 90, ,531. New York showed the
enormous increase of 1, 1858, 156. It
has 1886, OOO inhabitants. Peunsyl-
vania, the second largest State in
the Union, has Sc, ,301, 356, an increase
of 1,O43, 351. Illinois comes third
with 4,821, $50, and increase of $685.
1879. Ohio stands fourth, with d
gain of 485, ,229, and Missouri fifth
with an increase Of 427, 1888. Texas
ranks sixth. It's, population is now
3,O48,8 Themostpopulous South
ern State, excepting Texas, is Geor-
gia, with 2,216, ,329 people.
In Massachusetts there are on the
average 328 people to the square
mile; in Rhode Islands, 343; in New
York, 1856; in Connecticut, 1852; in
Illinois, 81; in Delaware, n and in
Missouri, As. Texas has twelve peo-
pie to the square mile and California
nine. Nevada has the fewest people
in proportion to its. area, there being
only one inha bitapt to every four
square miles. This state is also the
only one that did not increase in pop
ulation. 1t shows a loss of 3,427 in
ten years. Idaho and Montana nearly
doubled, while Kansas, Nebraska,
Louisiana, Maine, Vermont, made
only slight nrOgress Selected.