The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-26
POPULATION o THE ONLY THING.

An exchange says the enormous number
OF immigrants coming to our shores and
promising to come lends great attractive
ness TO the article of the chief Of the United
States Bureau Of Statistics" in which he
asks the question, ''Win the United States
have a population of 10000. 900 at the end
of the twentieth century,"
The Journal fails to see great attract
iveness' in the coming of hundreds of thou
sands of ignorant and for the most part
inferior natives of the poverty-stricken re-
gions of Europe TO this country. If we had
an unoccupied continent We should have
no room for such people. Not only do they
know nothing of our institutions, but, &C
customed to a lower level Of living than
Americans or those immigrants who have
come to us from Great Britain, Germany.
Sweden, etc, they are a menace TO Ameri-
can workingmen. They can exist upon
food TO which the American laborer is not
accustomed, and for that reason can thrive
upon wages which would mean starvation
ever reaction comes, there will be more
rough labor in the United States than will
be needed; some portion will be idle. and
that portion will be employed that can
live upon the least wages. Such being the
case, there is ground TO fear that such
immigration by hundreds of thousands
threatens to lower the standard of living
and intelligence of unskilled labor.
The Journal does not share the en-
thusiasm Of the chief of the United States
Bureau of Statistics in regard to growth
In population. There is no evidence that
countries having a large population in pro-
portion TO their area are such as we would
have the United States. China has at least
five or six times the population of the
United States. yet there is nothing in the
conditions in China to cause the American
to desire 10 have the population of that
country duplicated in the United States.
Better 100000 or 100. 600 inhabitants for
this country under present fortunate con-
ditions than a population so large as 10
render a high standard of living impossible
because of inability TO produce sufficient
food for a congested population.
The writer referred to notes that Rhode
Island has a population of S95 persons to
the square mile, and says the entire area
of the United States outside of Alaska
would nave LIB, 10000 if as densely in
habited as that State. Insisting that the
arid deserts can be irrigated and made
the most fertile region in the country, the
Bureau of Statistics writer declares that
our area can easily sustain a billion OF
people. This is absurd. Suppose Rhode
Island were compelled to raise its own food,
in what condition would its people be!
If We had double our present population
unless new methods of agriculture should
be introduced we could not raise the food
such a population would require, to say
nothing of a billion of people.
In the true economic sense population is
desirable only TO the extent that it has en-
ployment sufficient TO enable all TO exist
| far above the line that separates reasonable
comfort from the want of the common
necessaries of life. Many of the immi-
grants that came TO this country in recent
years were accustomed to conditions that
| did not afford them the food to satisfy
hunger. They furnish paupers by the hun
| dreds and are a burden to us and a menace
to common labor. 1t is not important tha'
the United States should number SO.OO,OOC
| at the close of the century, but 1t is I'm
| p~ortant. and the matter of chief Importance,
| that the conditions which surround the
masses shall be improved from year To
wear. insuring a more intelligent people,
| able. through their efforts. to enjoy some
| Of the fruits of civilization. Such condi-
tions will not exist if the country is sc
densely populated that population presses
upon its food possibilities.