The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-13
THE NATIONS PROGRESS
Governor Shaw's Centennial Ad-
dress at the White House.
The Growth and development of
America During the Past Century
The Nations Wonderful AEricul-
turnI and Mineral RcsOurces-Fu-
ture O'ers Great Possibilities.

Hon. Leslie NJ. Shaw, Governor Of
| Iowa. yesterday had for the subject of hi:
! address at the White House during the
| Centennial Celebration "The Development
OF the States During the Century, 1900
| 1900" He said:
AT the date of the event this day COM
| memorated the United States of America
| was composed OF sixteen States, Kentucky
Vermont, and Tennessee having been ad-
| mitted to the Union during the closing
decade of the eighteenth century. Since
then Virginia has been divided and a
creasing the area included in the six
| teen, and there have also been added
twenty eight other States.
ITO better appreciate the growth Of the
| nation few comparisons may not seem
| ill-advised..
Had there been no change in area. and
without taking into account Territories
then or now owned by the nation, and
supposing the same development and in
crease within the several States as has
been witnessed. the United States would
then be larger than Great Britain plus
France and Denmark. Greece. Portugal
| and Belgium, and would have popula-
ton more numerous than Italy plus Nor
way and Denmark; 1t would outnumber
Austria plus Sweden, Switzerland. and
Greece. The population of these seven
team States is very nearly equal to that
of Great Britain.
THE twenty-nine States admitted dur
ing the century have brought an increase
Of territory exceeding the German En-
pire plus Great Britain. France, Spain,
Portugal. Belgium, Hungary, Italy,
Greece, Denmark, and Sweden. The
United States today. exclusive Of
organized Territories and other
possessions, is larger than Eu-
ropean Russia and larger than all Europe
except Russia. while our population is
nearly equal to Great Britain and France
combined. and once and half as large
as the German Empire. The area of the
United States, exclusive Of organized
Territories and possessions. has increased
six-fold and our population fifteen-fold
in 100 years.
Not only have We increased numerical
ly and the States developed materially and
our people prospered financially. but intel
lectual. moral, and religious improvement
has been equally marked. While the pop
ulation Of the United States has increased
fifteen-fold in 100 years, church member
ship has increased four times fteen-fOld
in the same period.
I'VE have 10000. coo pupils receiving ele-
mentary instruction, $4,000 receiving sec
ondary instruction in high schools and
academies. 100000 in colleges and univer-
sites. 10000 receiving normal school train
ing, and 10000 under professional tuition.
Comparisons for the last thirty years
show an ever-increasing per cent in the
enrolment of children of school age as
well as the number of days attendance of
pupils enrolled and In the average length
OF the school year. The annual expendi-
ture for educational purposes. exclusive of
donations to endowmcnts, and for college
and university buildings, exceeds 100000
eoU per annum.
When the seat Of government was
moved to the District of Columbia our 81
00r 600 people were dependent almost en-
tireiy upon agriculture and fisheries. Their
clothing was spun and woven in the home
Of the wearer; their grain. home grown.
was ground to order, and their meat. most
ly range-fed.' was generally slaughtered
at the door OF the consumer. The table of
the average American was rot then debtor
thrice day to three continents Tor what
We now call necessaries. Very little con-
sumed by that frugal people, salt and rum
excepted. had been transported twenty
miles from the place of its production.
A British Boast of YOre.
THE Edinburgh Encyclopedia publish
ed in 1890, spends forty columns OF an
eighteen volume edition in describing
farm machinery 1t calls attention to the
conspicuous superiority of the British
rural Implements and records the fact
that in former times the construction OF
utensils of husbandry was left almost en-
tirely to rude and ignorant artisans 1t
speaks in glowing terms of a machine for
grain from straw which it
declares has been brought to degree
Of perfection that few people expected
when 1t was first introduced. So impOr-
tant did these inventions appear TO tne
author of the article. and lest their con-
might become lost art. he
describes in detail. with cuts and draw
ings, all implements then known to asri- |
to wit. pillow ten feet in length |
a single section A-shaDed harrow. roll |
er, two wheel cart. drilling machine. |
a reaper that neither gathered nor raked |
nor dropped, a machine designed TO sep |
lrats grain from straw and tanner.
Time forbids even hasty review of the |
more recent as well as more marvellous |
in agricultural methods |
and appliances, which in forty-tye years |
have reduced the time in human labor re- |
luired to produce a bushcl of corn So Der |
cent. and the cost of this labor, notwith- |
standing ever-increasing wages, 10 per |
cent, and which have reduced the time in !
human labor required TO raise bushel |
Of wheat from an average Of more than |
Lhree hours in 1890 to ten minutes at the |
present time. and the cost In human labor |
rom II cents to 81 cents. Rates of trans
portation have also materially decreased |
The average rate per ton per mile |
,harged by one OF the oldest and |
best known roads in the United
States has been reduced more than
40 per cent since 1870. and the average |
rate charged by all roads in this country
las decreased 81 per cent during the saIae
period. Average passenger rates have de- |
lined 43 per cent in twenty years.
Freight rates in England are nearly three
tines as high as in the United States,
md on the Continent of Europe the rates
ire higher than in England. No wonder
hat agriculture has prospered under
hese favoring conditions. and no wonder
hat conditions are made most cOngeniai
or all industrial pursuits when We DOte
he tremendous product OF field and fold.
# mine and quarry, of furnace and OF fac
DRY.
Products Of American Farms.
Our farms produce per annum Ia round
numbers 3,70o. 1000 900 bushels of cereals,
worth S1.3GO. 100000. We grow go 900 ,0C0
bushels of potatoes. worth $50 900. 900; So
100, 600 tons of hay. worth $500 000. 900:
l ,000,0o bales OF cotton. worth 100000
60; 1,1o0, 600 G0G pounds Of butter and
h, ese. ard market 1000 coo. coo gallons of
milk worth in the aggregate $500. OoO. hG0;
lin 20, COZ, Geo pounds of wool. worth $50 |