The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-09-03
CENSUS NOTES.

years ago to have every nation take
an enumeration Of its people during the
last year of the last century. Not all
were able to do this, Great Britain, In
di and Denmark took theirs in 1901,
while other countries had already taken
them within few years of the close of
the century as Russia in 1897, Japan
in 1898 and Chill in 1895, Sweden in 1899
and so on. But these are so close to-
gether that for all practical purposes
the element of time may be considered
eliminated and all put upon the same
basis.
What strikes one Immediately is the
enormous decenntal growth of the
United States which is 81 per cent,
larger than that of any other country
in the world. Germany stands next
with an Increase of IA per cent every
ten years. Great. Britain shows an in
crease Of IL per cent, every ten years,
while France remains stationary. To
students of statistics and of national
ity and of anthropology are all inter-
ested in this abnormal condition If
the population of France is practically
stationary now, it will soon begin to
retrograde. and once it begins to retro
grade, it's doom as nation is sealed.
1t may take time but eventually the
French will die out leaving the history
of one of the most enlightened, most
mentally brilliant and most chivalrous
of nations as their monument OF
FOL
ton to die, but with loss of population
comes loss of wealth and power
During the last thirty years the whole
population of France has only increas-
ed per cent, while that of the United
States has very nearly doubled, and
that of Great Britain has increased
over one-third- OF course in certain
parts of France there have been in
creases, but these increases are among
the Urban population, while the rural
districts have decreased. Twenty
eight departments containing Urban
centers show increases, but fifty-nine
rural departments all show decreases.
This plainly shows that the increase
around the Urban centers has not been
made by the natural growth of the
population. but by the people deserving
the rural districts to settle in the more
congenial towns. The strength of
France which lay in her peasantry is
being gradually slapped. 1t is the
hardy, avaricious, Taborious peasantry
that has been the mainstay of France
and has counteracted the frivolity and
debauchery of the capital and the large
cities, but the drain on the peasant
resources is too much. The young
peasants no longer stay in the country,
they drift to the cities, and the cities
swallow them up, giving them some
times brief glimpses of pleasure only
to fling them, dying into the gutter
at last.
The most densely populated country
is Belgium which has 593 per square
mile, and the next in density is England
and Wales with 557. There is plenty
of room for expansion in the United
States for in spite of its enormous pop
nlation it has only 81 persons to the
square mile, the smallest density is
Peru with Z to the square mile but the
population of all South America is
practically in embryo.
OF the States under progressive gov
eminent India stands first with its 1884,
100000 and over, Russia stands with
close on to $4,000, 900, and the United
States third with 100000 If one
were to analyze these population how
ever, it would be found that in brain,
in sinew, in inVentiveness and in men
tai and physical capacity the 10000 900 |
of the United States is greater than
the whole population of India or that
of Russia. II, is not alone numbers that
have to be considered in the value
of a population of country, but
it is its intrinsic worth. A very few
thousand Greeks curbed the Persian
power at Marathon, Thermopylae and
which could command millions
of people. Still fewer thousands of
Greeks under the genius of Alexander
the Great, overran the Persian Empire
and defeated it's countless hosts at the
Granicus, Magnesia and Arbela. Quail
ity, not quantity counts when you have
enough of quality.
p The following table will prove inter
esting to those who follow the popula-
tion statistics of the world, and who
wish to know the relative value of the
various nations. r.t ts.
Countries. Population. Density.
United States 80. 76,3O3,,3S7 26
England q Wales 32,523,242 $50
Germany ........ 56,346,Ol4 ,26O
France ......... 3S, SIT 975 1879
Spain ........... 1905, 497 92
Switzerland -, 3,2l2,551 POI
Norway ........ 1921, 1896 Is
Belgium ........ 6,744, 532 593
Netherlands 80. 5,103, 924 403
Austria ......... rs, 107, 304 225
Hungary .,.,.., 100000 1873
Russia ...-...., 12S, 1922 ,173 IS
Sweden ...... 5,O97, 402 so
India .......... 204, 266, 7O1 1888
Japan ...... 49, 1850 754 296