Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-10-01

ID WORCESTERSHIRE ana Oermany NOV
ing Forward.
An address recently delivered in Lon
tis-ics section of the British associa-
ton by Sir Robert Giffen, +. r. s.. has
been the subject Of much comment.
says the New York Sun. Sir Robert
took as his topic the statistics of pop
ulation and urged especially the i'm
portance of studying the records of
the census which have now existed in
most European countries and among
peoples Of European origin for CEN
fury. Political ideas and speculation
are, he argued, necessarily colored by
ideas originating in such records. and
political action. internationally and 9th
erwise, would be all the wiser If the
records We're more carefully observed
than they are and the lessons TO be de-
rived widely appreciated and under
stood.
He then took as his first broad fact
the enormous increase of the popula-
ton of European countries and of peo-
Piles Of European origin during the
nineteenth century. At the beginning
of the last century this population, ex-
elusive of South American countries
and Mexico. was about 10000. 900.
At its close IL was about $4,000. 900.
Analysing this aggregate increase, it is
found that the growth of the United
States alone is from a little over 5000
orl., Of fha
English population of the British en-
pire from about 100000 to $4,000
600. Germany and Russia also show
remarkable growth-from 20.0o0,OO0 to
55, 100000 in the one case and from 49,
100000 to i35.o00,0O0 in the other
partly due to annexation. but the
growth of France is no more than from
5000 o00 to 4o.000,O00.
The effect of this. says Sir Robert
Giffen. necessarily is to assure the pre-
ponderance of European peoples among
the races Of the world-to put aside
completely, for instance, the night
mares of yellow or black perils arising
from the supposed overwhelming mass
of yellow or black races, these races by
comparison being stationary, or nearly
SO. Equally it follows that the relative
position of the British empire, the Unit
ed States, Russia and Germany has be-
come such as to make them exclu-
siyely the great world powers. although
France. for economic reasons. notwith-
standing the stationariness of its pop
ulation. may still be classed among
them. When one thinks what interna-
fional politics We're only a hundred
thaY,
how important were Austria.
Italy, Spain and even countries Ike
Holland, Denmark and Sweden-we
may surely recognize that. with a COM
new United States on the
stage and with powers like Russia and
Germany come to the front. the world
Is all changed politically as we'll as eco
nomically and that new passions and
new rivalries have to be considered. |
The figures also suggest that for some |
time at least the changes going on must |
aeceptuate the change that has oc-
Cured.
According to the latest figures, there |
Is no sign that either in France or any |
other European country which has been |
stationary has any move /
ment of population commenced which |
will reverse the change. while a large /
growth of population goes on in the |
leading countries named. This growth, /
ii is alleged. is going on at diminish /
ing rate. but in the next generation or
two there is practically no doubt that /
the United States will be larger inter |
factor than it is, both abso- |
lutely and relatively, and that Russia, |
Germany and the English people of the /
British empire will also grow. though !
not in such a way, apparently. as to
prevent the greater relative growth of
the United States and Notwithstanding
perhaps some relative changes of minor !
character among themselves. The for /
eign nations, then, with which the
British empire is likely TO be concern /
ed in the near future are Russia, Ger /
many and the United States, and other /
powers, even France. INST more and /
more occupy a second pSce. although /
France for the moment. partly in con- /
sequence of its relations with Russia, /
special place.
Sir Robert Giffen then draws atten- f
ton TO the increasing dependence of /
European nations upon supplies of food /
and raw material obtained from /
abroad. What is true of the United 4
Kingdom is true in greater or less de- +
gree OF other European countries. Es- /
pecially is it true in a remarkable de- /
gree of Germany. which is becoming 1
Industrial and manufae- Z
turing and where room for expansion /
IN agriculture is now very limited.
The import of foreign food into Ger
many increased in the ten years 1SSS-9S
By just loo per cent. The imports of
Jaw and semimanufactured materials
INTO Germany in the same period in
creased by 40 per cent. Germany and
the United Kingdom are thus becom-
ng more and more alike. What their
position is TO be economically and 9TH
,rwise relatively 10 the United States.
which is AT once the main source of
supply and a competitor with European
in manufactures. is obviously
| matter of no little interest said Sir