BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-06-04
The population of the United States,

The population of the United States, |
originating chiefly in English coloniza
ton, with large additions from other
peoples, manifests a strong tendency to
become homogeneous, while the Spanish
American Republics, having their
origin in the Union of Spanish colonists
and the aborigines, continues to be
distinguished by class distinctions, no
one element being powerful enough to
asimilate the rest. The effect of this is
to render the practical political problems
more complex and difficult in the latter
nations than in the former.
Expansion.
To Spain, a ruined Province with
obedience appeared better than rich
Province filled with the spirit of indie
rendence This political policy tended
to drive her colonies to revolt, Her
social policy tended to mingle the blood
| of the Immigrant with that of the orr
ginal stock. The English, Colonial
policy had in view the pursuit, of grand
ultimate results and the contrast in the
increase of the respective populations,
as shown above, was the natural con-
sequence.
The facts regarding the migrations
and colonization of the English and
Spanish peoples taken in connection
with the statistics of their growth, e1u-
cidate the political problems which the
two races present. They also furnish
a certain basis for speculation touching
their respective probable futures. If
the same rate of increase as shown in
the table continues during the next
ninety years Mexico for example, will
have population OF 241a millions and
the United Sta.es population of 625
millions, and the rate of increase in the
other Spanish American republics. is
no. so great by far as that in Mexico
and be it observed chat the inhabitants
o. he Uni. ed States have continued to
be better fed and clothed than almost
any other people on earth and that
there are no indications that during the
next 100 years lack of subsistence will
INIT che + on The Growth of popula-
ltion
Now, TO suppose that this vast popu
lation will keep strictly within its pre-
sent limits, is to suposse that the Anglo
American race, after century of ex.
pans;on, will suddenly give up its an
cient habirs and lay aside it's most vital
and Characteristic tendency.
Ecclesiastical institutions.
The position and influence of the &C.
c1esiastieal institutions of the two races
also furnish data essential to an Under
standing of their affairs. The contrast
presented is between the principle and
practice of liberation on the one hand
intoleration on the other. In one nation
religion tends to become a private
matter, in the other it was and is, to
some extent, an affair of State. In the
United States the ecclesiastical and
political organizations were early di-
vorced; in Spanish America the alliance
continued unbroken 1or more than 300
years, the church constantly gaining
wealth, power and compactness of or
ganization. 1t held one half of all the
property of the country and was direct
led by men whose very calling placed
them outof sympathy with those in
terests on which the prosperity of So
eiety depends. On the economic affairs
of the colonies as on those of Spain it.
self the church laid the curse of it's
"Mano Muerta". Against this power
full organization, welding immense
wealth and armed with the spiritual
thunderbolts of divine wrath, the
struggle for free secular governmen-
ment has had to be waged. When
the struggle for independence came it
was found that it was not enough to
break the political bond with the mo-
ther country, the bond of ecclesiastical
union was much stronger; the church of
the colonies and the church of Spain
were allied as parts of one great orga.
nization. the bonds of union and SYM
pathy which is maintained always
drawing large part of the population |
back to the allegiance of Spain.
Ito be continued tomorrow.