Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-02-14
AM ENGLISH VIEW.
A London Journal Regarding Our
Late Census Returns,
DOR Great Growth During the Last
Decade Unsurpassed by That Of
Any other Natios-some Com
piImentary Remarks.

Statistics are frequently merely duh
and repellent hosts OF figures; occa-
sionally they strike home upon the
Imagination, and leave a vivid impress
sion upon the mind. No thoughtful
person Fan fail TO realize something Mt
least Of all that Is signidod by the GEN.
fus returns OF the United states. says
the London Telegraph. That mighty
nation has been numbered and IL IL
found that Ter population now stands
al 7J.25O.OOO. In the short space Of
ten years there has been an increase
Of nearly 13,250.OGO which Is equivalent
90 almost ~ per cent. for the decade,
or rather more than 2 per cent. per
annum When we remember hat 200
years ago the population Of the states
was under 400, DOOR rather more than
the present population Of Bradford
and that 100 years ago II was but lit
tie over 100000. " will be seen with
what amazing rapidify the young giant
among the nations has built up his
strength. The first census was taken
in 1890. From that year down to 1860
the increase per cent. per annum was
about $50.
From 1850 60 1870 It fell TO 2.26; in
the next ten years il rose TO 81; from
1850 20 1890 IL dropped TO 2.49, and
now, ns We have seen, IL stands at 81.
This Is n slight decrease in ratio, but,
after all. the important fact is that
there are 100000 o more people owning
allegiance TO the American constitution
than there were ten years ago. And
the growth OF population Is the infal-
lible test Of national prosperity and
Advancement No nation has ever yet
risen TO greatness with a ~dwindling
population. and probably non ever
will. Declining numbers have been the
invariable coucomitant OF national
s|tagnation and decadcnce. The growth
Of the power OF Great Britain, Germany
and Russia bears witness to the truth
Of this sweeping generalization, and
there Is nothing which gives French
publicists more serious grounds for
disquictude rs to the future OF their
country than the evidence % stagna-
ton shown in their census returns.
Americans. therefore, may be well con
tent with the progress they haze made
in the last decade. These figures at
ford them ample reason for pride and
iubilation. The only great power Of
the present day which can vie with
them In numbers 10 Russia. and in
wealth, in energy, in adaptability. in
education and in that cunning indus
trial skill which is the foundation OF
material prosperity, they far outstrip
the subjects Of the car.
What the future has in store for the
United States only the future al dis
| close, but that II is something great,
something vast and magnificent Tar be-
yond anything hitherto witnessed in
history, no one can doubt, and there
are few Englishmen who do not well
come the prospect with hearty graf
iication, owing to the community Of
race, ideas and language which links
both the heart and brain Of the United
States with the heart and brain of
the British empire. Full details OF this
latest census have not yet been pub
lished. and a close analysis Is at pres
emit impossible. Yet II is 20 be observed
that the increase Of population has
taken place chiefly in the eastern
states. In New York state alone the
numbers have risen by 100000; Penn
sylvania and Illinois show similarly
striking results. As in England the
urban and manufacturing centers grow
much more rapidly than the rural. No
one will be surprised 10 find that the
Indians are steadily dying out Of the
land. There are now but $4,000 de-
~scendants Of the red man, who once
roamed in undisturbed possession OF
the soil. But for the reservations on
which they drag out a forlorn and
hopeless existence, they would soon
become ms extinct as the bison. Civili-
cation has utterly failed 20 preserve
the red man. Whether IL is c~iyiliza-
tion'S fault Is another matter. In part,
doubtless, IL is; in part, and probably
in greater part, it Is NOT.
There is no room for the nomad in
the modern scheme OF life. lie has re-
fused 10 adapt himself to altered con.
d%itions. and though the result may be
dep,or6d, the law is memorable. Prob.
ably, however. the question which will
most interest the Americans is the rel
ativc numbers Of the white and colored
population. The theory used to be very
widely held that the colored races in
America increased faster than the
white, Statistics, however, prove that
the inference was not warranted b, the
ACTUAL figures. In 1880 there were g..
100000 free colored people il the
states; Ia 1880 there were nearly T.
100000. The proportion in the former
year was about two in thirteen; in
the latter IL was two In fifteen. What
u Is Mt the present time the published
returns do not disclose, but hitherto
except between 1910 and 1860, the white
American has increased rather more
rapidly than the colored. The racin.
problem in the states is one OF such far.
reaching Importance that all will hope
the advantage will continue to real