New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-02
TIE SIZE OF THE BOON"

Tho nroverbial "Prodigiousr' Of Dominic
Samson is but feeble word to describe the
growth of our country in the last century anu
in the last half dozen years. A current puoii-
cation of the Bureau of Statistics reminds Us
that OUT growth in territory which has or may
become States-that IS contiguous contlheh'Ai
territory. apart from Alaska and the Islands or
the sea-has IN a century been from S2'-o44 10
= cog 900 souare miles or more than 265 per
conf With all this vast increase of area our
density of population has increased from SO to
% 10 the square mile. or CD per cent, In the
last fifty years only Our national wealth mas
increased from s., 000,000,000 to S94.ooo,O0otoo,
or 1.243 per cent, and the per capita wealth.
from 1907 TO 81 go. or more than 300 per cent
The public debt has fallen in the senturF'
through many fluctuations. from SD TO less
than SI3 per capita: and so on all along me
line. 1t has often been said that the nineteenth
century was the most wonderful of our era In
few things was il more wonderful than in the
unprecedented and unique development OF the
United States OF America,
Rr,+ we have said OUT growth has been eX-
+raordinarv in the last half dozen years. Ii
has There were those who doubted and scored
when, in 1896. The Tribune spoke of William
Mckinley as the Advance Agent of Prosperity.
The fact is rs the record now shows, that his
election marked tht beginning of one of the
most remarkable blooms" ever known in our
bistorv-if that word be applicable to a time OF
/ general and substantial prosperity. During the
five years before there had been little growth
! in wealth or progress in prosperity. In some
respects there had been loss and retrogressloh
/ Thus in 1S90-95 the money in circulation IN
creased from S1400000000 to S16000OOo0o
! but in the years since from S1,600,eoor0G0 to
! s. 20OG10,0o0. In the former period bank clear
/ ings actually declined from $5S,00O,0OO,GOO to
/ S5OoOn0oo.ooo. while in the latter they have
risen to S114, 600 600 600 in the former say
| fngs bank deposits increased from S1.5Uo.ooo,-
! 900 to 81 500 100000 and in the latter they rose
to $780, 100000. National bank deposits in
the former rose from S1400ooo0oo to S1,7o0,-
100000. and in the latter To the stupendous sum
of So 100000 The value Of farm animals
| decreased in 1S90'95 from 50 ,400,000,000 10
81 500 100000 but has since risen to $1,000
100000. In the former period the output OF
| coal increased from 100000 to 112.G0O.ooo
tons. and in the latter to 26l 100000 The prod
| uct of steel rose in the one from 100000 to
| 100000 tons and in the latter to 100000
The amount of freight carried on railroads rose
| In the former period from 79,000,00O,00 mile
! tons TO $1,000 100000 and IN the latter to AL
/ o00.oo0,oO0. These figures Indicate in part the
magnitude Of the prosperity Of which, as The
Tribune said, William Mckinley was the ad-
vance agent.
It was a wondrous century's growth, that of
! the nineteenth and il is a Wondrous BOOM "
that which we have had for the last half dozen
years and which we are still enjoying. The
conservation of the one and the prolongatfon
and perpetuation of the other matters which
/ lie so far as they IN any human control,
within the hands of this nation; and this ma
ton will best serve itself in the administration
! of this unparalleled trust If 1t resists the
! temptation simply to exult in such material
/ greatness and TO be dazzled by the splendor Of
| the figures we have quoted, and bears constant
| " in mind. for its government and admoniton,
| the eternal verify expressed with homely but
| convincing eloquence by one of the clearest
sighted of Its seers when he said. The truest
test of civilization is not the census, nor the
"crops; no, but the kind Of man the country
| "turns OUT