Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-02-07
AN1ENGLIsH evIEw.
London Journal Regarding Our
Late Census Returns.
0ur Great Growth During the Last
Decade Unsurpassed by That OF
Any Other Nation-soms Com
piimentary Remarks.


Statistics are frequently merely dull
and repellent hosts Of figures; occn-
sionally they strike home upon the
imagination, and leave vivid impress
sion upon the mind. No thoughtful
person can fail to realize something at
least OF all that is signified by the CEN
sus returns OF the United States. says
the London Telegraph That mighty
nation has been numbered and II is
found that her population now stands
at 7G,2J0,000. In the short space OF
ten years there has been an incrense
of nearly 1920, 900. which is equivalent
10 almost 2l per cent. for the decade
or rather more than 2 per cent. per
annum. When we remember that 200
years ago the population OF the states
was under 900, 0,0O0-or rather more thhn
the present population Of Bradford
and that 100 years ago II was but hit
tie over 100000. It will be seen with
what amazing rapidity the young giant
among the nations has built up his
strength. The first census was taken
in 1870. From that year down to 1860
the increase per cent. per annum was
about $50.
From 1860 TO 1870 IL fell 10 22o; In
the next ten years 1t rose to 81; from
1850 TO 1890 II dropped to 2.49, and
now. as we have seen. II stands at 81.
This Is n slight decrense In ratio, but
nfter all the important fact Is that
there are 100000 more people owning
allegiance to the American constitution
than there we're ten years ago And
the growth Of population is the infal-
lble test Of national prosperity and
advancement. No nation has ever yet
risen to greatness with n dwlndling
population. and probably none ever
will Declining numbers have been the
invnriable concomitant OF national
stngnntion and decndence. The growth
~ the power Of Great Britain, Germany
and Russia bears witness 10 the truth
Of this sweeping generalization. 'nnd
there Is nothing which gives French
pnblicists more serious grounds for
disauetuGe MS to the future Of ihcir
country than the evidence OF stnRnn'
tion shown In their census returns
Americans therefore, may be well con
tent with the progress they hnre made
In the last decade These figures NJ
ford them ample reason for pride and
jubilation. The only great power oI
the present day which can vie with
them In numbers is Russia. and IN
wealth. in energy, In adaptability, II
education and In that cunning indus
trial skill which is the foundation o.
material prosperity, they far outstrI
the subjects Of the czar.
What the future has in store for th'
United States only the future can dis
close. but that II Is something great
something vast and magnificent far be
yond anything hitherto witnessed II
history, no one can doubt, and ther'
are few Englishmen who do not wei
come the prospect with hearty graf
ification, owing to the community o
rnce. ideas and language which link
both the heart and brain Of the Unitct
States with the heart and brain o
the British empire. Full details Of thi
latest census have not yet been pub
lirhed, and close analysis is nt pres
ent impossible. Yet II is TO be observe,
that the increase Of population ha
taken place chiefly In the ensteri
states, In New York state alone th
LusH. ..i..s, h. 4 IUus Danf "a
sylynnia and Illinois, show similarl.
striking results As In England th
urban and manufacturing ccntcrs grow
much more rapidly than the rural. NJ
one will be surprised to find that tn
Indians are steadily dying out Of tn
land There are now but $4,000 de
scendants OF the red man. who one
roamed In undisturbed possession o
the soil but for the reservations OF
which they drag out forlorn AM
hopeless existence, they would sool
become as extinct ne the bison. Civil
zntion has utterly failed TO presery
the red man Whether II is ciyili1a
tion's fault is another matter, In part
doubtless, II is; in part, and probabl
In greater part, II IL not,
There is no room for the nomnd Il
the modern scheme OF life. lie has r,
fused to adapt himself 90 altered con
ditions, and though the result may b
deplored, the law is ineXorublc. Prob
ably, however the question which vii
most interest the Americans is the rel
ative numbers OF the white aud colorc
population, The theory used @ be yer
widely held that the colored races /
America increased faster than IN
white, Statistics, however, prove tina
the inference was not warranted by IA
ACTUAL figures. In 1880 there were 6
100000 free oolored people in IA
states; In 1890 there were nearly 7
100000, The proportion in the forme
year was about two In thirteen; /
the latter II was two In hftccu Whu
II Is at the present time the puhlishe
returns do not disclose, but hithert,
except between isi0 and 1850, the whit
American has increased rather nor
rapidly than the color,d The rnci,
problem in the states is one OF such fal
reaching Importance that all will hoT
the advantage will continue to re,
with the whites.