The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-04-25
AMERICAS GROWTH.

To have successfully predicted the
growth of the United states In the
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
night of fancy which can compare with
tho actually in this instance. The
growth, the development, material, ar
tistic and educational, and the progress
is the more remarkable when 1t is taxi
en- into consideration that there were
three wars, innumerahle Indian cam
paigns, and for four years about the
middle Of the period "A devastating in
teruecine struggle, which robbed the
nation of much Of it's wealth and man
hood. The Washington Post thus di-
gests recent report of the Bureau of
Statistics made public at the Capital:
Ia lS00-three years before expansion
began--the area Of the republic was
S21Sii square miles. The population
was 5,31S ,S43--a total now eXcelled by
each OF several states and much less
than double the aggi egate of single
city. The population per square mile
was Gal. The public debt was $751;
976 Pa and the net revenue only $l0,-
S4S, $40, scarcely sufficient to run sin
| gle third-class city of these days for a
year. But it met all the wants of the
nation. for the net ordinary eXpendi-
ture was $7,4l1,S70, of which $2,56O,S $40
| was for the army, S3,44S,7l6 for the
| navy. and SGilSl for pensions. Exports
were worth $1097l, $50, imports S9l ,252,-
I6S. American tonnage in the foreign
trade was 6G9,921 tons. The number of
postoiIices 90S, with receipts of $3.50 S04.
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 Il
| iirst-class city now calls for more
money than our army and navy cost a
| century ago.
In 1900 our area exclusive OF Alaska.
Hawaii, Porto Rico, the Philippines
and other insular acquisitions, had
| grown from o-Ioi4 to 3O@5.60O square
miles. Population had climbed to 76,-
800, $751; and population per square mile
to 25.22, leaving plenty of room for in
crease. The estimated wealth in 1900
was S94 900. 100000. but ii is impossible
! to make a reliable estimate on that
subject The general opinion is that
this is too high, but ii is not improb-
| able that ii is too low. At any rate,
the figures are too huge for comprehen-
| sion by any C.ass of citizens except as
tronomers. The public debt despite
great reductions from the maximum
! figures, stood in 1900 at s2.l36 96l .092
The net revenue had increased to $751;
I
$447, 2i0, AS, of which Sl34, 774,7SS was for
the army, s55, 953 07S for the navy. and
Sl4o,S77,S l6 for pensions. Exports In
1900 were worth 1884. 4S3 ,0S2; imports
sS49 94l lS4. American tonnage in the
foreign trade was S26694 tons. The
number of postoffices was 76,6SS and the
receipts therefrom We're sl02. 354579.
We know of no better inspiration tC
patriotism than the comparison pre-
scented in those statistics And to those
who believe in special providences II
should be an inspiration to devout graf
itude to see what God has done fol
this most favored land" But there are
some items of great interest as showing
the country's growth which did not ex-
list or We're not reported in 1900. Upor
the estimate of s94, 900, 900 600 as the to,
tai wealth, the average wealth OF every
nan, woman and child is sl,235. Their,
are 6,107,0s3 depositors i'm saving,
banks, who have 81, AS, 547, 1855 deposited
and there are besides s2,50s, PAS 55s o
deposits In national banks, exclusive o
deposits with trust companies, Stat
banks and private banks. The none,
in circulation was s2,055, l50 99S, averag
ing S26,93 to the individual citizen. Col
was produced to value of S79, III coo
silver To a value OF s14 ,5S3, 495.