The Lamar register., 1906-06-27
Story Of Ameri can Expansion.

Did Census Director S N d.
North, when he WAS preparing his
figures, just published, of the Unit
ed States growth in manufactures
in the past five years, think of the
acute Americans who long ago at
tempted to gauge their country's
futures Possibly not. In one of
his latest messages to Congress Lin
coin said that if the rebellion should
be suppressed the country would
have 1O0,O0O,OOO people by 1900.
This has turned out to be little
ebove the mark, though the forecast
seemed to be justified by such data
as were available at the time. For
several decades in the first half of
the nineteenth century American
and foreign writer's on the growth
OF the United States marveled at the
accuracy Of the prophecy made by
Elkansh Watson, early in the CEN
tury, sbout the country's increase n
population in the next seventy or
eighty years. For thirty or forty
years his estimates, partly through
snnexations Of territory, agreed
closely with the figures which were
revealed by the successive decennial
enumerations by the national author
ities. When Franklin, shortly be-
fore the beginning of the American
war of independence. told the Brit
ish house Of commons that if Ameri-
can grievances were redressed the
thirteen colonies would keep on
doubling in inhabitants every %
years, he could have given some
powerful reasons for the faith that
was in him.
But in the matter of the country's
expansion in industries, wealth and
social sway among the nations of the
earth, hope never told half 80 buoy
ant tale to any Of those old-time
Americans as the passing years have
revealed to US. Director North's
figures, which have Just been made
public, relate only to the increase in
manufactures from 1900 to 1905,
but these show a growth which has
had no parallel in any other country
and which has seldom been eqnaled
in the United States Although the
increase in population could not have
been above 10 per cent in the five
years, the expansion in capital in.
vested in manufactures was 42.S
per cent in wages of employees 32 8
per cent. in expense Of manufacture
63 per cent, in cost Of materials 81
per cent and in value Of product 81
per cent. In all parts of the coun
try. in Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tory, as we'll ss in New York and
Massachusetts,, this expansion was
in progress. 1t was no part of Di-
rector North's work to go beyond
this bare record, and he stuck to his
text. He could have told, if he had
wished, that the United States pass
ed Great Britain in manufactures
back in 1880 and became the first of
the worlds nations in that field; that
it took the lead in coal production
in 1900; that it produces more iron
and steel than England, Germany
and France combined; that it went
to the font of the worlds nations in
merchandise exports in 1906; and
that, also in 1905, it surpasses Great
Britain, combined with either Ger
many or France, in wealth. More
over, our evacution OF China in 1901,
which constrained all the rest of the
allied nations to follow our example
and thus to save China from dis
memberment, and our work IN bring
ing the Russo-Japsnese peace of
Portsmouth in 1905, tell the story of
d American world leadership in civil
izstion and progress. s.--Globe-D Demo
crat.