The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-04-25
AMERICAS GROWTH.

To have successfully predicted the
growth OF the United States in the
Nineteenth century at the beginning OF
that epoch, would have subjected the
prophet to an inquiry as to his mental
state. Romance and fiction record no
flight OF fancy which can compare with
the actUaiity in this instance. The
growth. the development. material. ar
tistic and educational. and the progress
is the more remarkable when ii is TAX
en- into consideration that there were
three wars. innumerable Indian cam
paigns. ard for four years about the
middle of the period a devastating in
ternecine struggle. which robbed the
nation OF much OF it's wealth and man
hood. The Washington Post thus d.
gests a recent report OF the Bureau of
Statistics made public at the Capital:
In ISO0-three years before expansion
began-the area OF the republic was
S27, s44 square miles. The population
was sos. STA total now exceiled by
each OF severaT States and much less
than double the aggregate OF a single
city. The population per square mile
was 6.f- The public debt was sS2.-
s7e.294 and the net revenue only s1O.
s4S. 40. scarcely sufficient to run a sim
gle third-class city OF these days for a
year. But II met all the wants OF the
nation. for the net ordinary expendi-
ture was s7.4I1.s7O. of which s2.5sO.S7s
was for the army. s3.44s.71s for the
navy. and ss4,13i for pensions. Exports |
were worth s7O.s71.7sO. imports ,9l .252.-
7es. American tonnage in the foreign |
trade was 669.921 tons. The number OF
postoffices 500. with receipts OF $3.50. sO4
New York City requires annually for
its government more than twelve times
the cost OF the national government in
1900. and. the police department OF a
hrst-class city now calls for more
money than our army and navy cost a
century ago.
In 1900 our area. exclusive OF Alaska,
and other insular acquisitions. had S
grown from s27. s44 TO 3.025. 500 square I
niIes. Population had climbed to 76.-
'03. 3S7. and population per square mile
20 z5-22. leaving plenty of room for in c
crease The estimated wealth in 1900 :
was So. 900. 900. 900. but II is impossible g
% make a reliable estimate on that {
subject The general opinion Is that {
his Is too high. but IL is not improb- $
lble that IL Is too low. At any rate I
he figures are too huge for comprehen- c
hon by any class OF citizens except as =
rouomers. The public debt. despite v
sreat reductions from the maximum I
igures. stood in 1900 at s2.13s Sol, os2. e
h.. rrssf fYar 1 VI
40. $50: the net ordinary expenditure to :
447. 24O.4fS. Of which s12f. .7ss was for u
he army. So. 953.O7S for the navy. and ,
If0.S37 SIC for pensions Exports in h
300 were worth Si.39i.4s3.Cs2: imports, Il
$40 9f1. Isl. American tonnage In the 1
oreign trade was s26694 tons. The y
number ~ postofiices was 7g.6Ss and the n
eceipts therefrom were SiO2.35i.57s. I
We know OF no better inspiration to {
'atriotism than the comparison pre- n
Iented in those statistics. And To those q
Who believe in special provideuces ii II
houid be an Inspiration to devout graf b
tude TO see what God has done for n
his most favored land" But there are d
1oue items Of great interest as showing I
he country's growth which did not ex- C.
st or were not reported in $500. Upon
he estimate OF $4,000. O01.g0O as the to- II
al wealth, the average wealth OF every q
nan. woman and child is SI.Z35. There n
ire e.107.Cs5 dep0sitOrs in savings n
'anks. who have S2.ffs. 547.SS5 deposited. O.
md there are besides S2,50S. PAS. sos OF n
deposits In national banks, exclusive OF c
deposits with trust companies. State 4
'anks and private banks. The money II
n circulation was s.. 055 $50. 9sS. averag- Z,
ns s2s-s3 TO the individual citizen. Gold NJ
Eas produced to a value OF S79.I71. 600. n
liver TO Z value OF S7l,5ss.4s5. u,