Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-01-14
William E. Curtis Says Croesus
Was Pauper Beside Our
Uncle Sam.
FIGURES SHOW BIG GROWTH.
Per Capita Wealth in 1870 Was
s779 s3; in 1907 1t Was
$1,31O.I1.


human mind almost refuses to conpre-
bend them, they carry lesson that ev-
cry citizen and every school boy should
learn. Uncle sam is richer than any
other nation that exists or ever has
existed. Croesus, King Of Lydia, whose
name has been a synonym for wealth
for ages, was a pauper compared TO
him.
From the reports of the bureau OF
statistics. the census bureau. the Treas
ury and Agricultural Department Viii
liam Il. Curtis, the Washington CORE
spodent, has compiled a few significant
figures showing the material develop
ment of the United States within the
last thirty-seven years. He has select
ed the year 1870 as a basis of compare
son, because that was the beginning of
new era in American commerce and
industry that followed the Civil War.
Although the panic of '73 arrested the
growth of the country for time, the
present period of development began
then.
The population of the country in 1870
was 3S,55S,371. or 1914 to the square
mile; the population on the Both of June.
1907. according to the estimates of the
census bureau, was 1888. 1903, or 2S.2S
per square mile.
The tangible wealth of the country, the
true valuation of real and personal prop
erty. according to the census of 1870, was
| $30,06S, J1S,000, while in 1907 it is esti-
mated at more than three times that
amount. or $107, 104, 211,917.
AS far back as 1850 the per capita
wealth of the United States was csti-
| mated at $307.69 In 1870 it had more
than doubled and was estimated at
! $7T9S3. In 1907 it had almost doubled
again, and has reached the sum of ST.
Sl0.l1 per capita, which proves that we
are the richest people that ever existed.
In other words. if the real and personal
property belonging to the inhabitants of
the United States could be equally dis
tributed among them, each man, woman
and child living on the Both of June last
would have been entitled to S1.310.11.
In 1870 the deposits in national banks
for the whole United States amounted to
$542, POI ,563, while on the Both of Sep
TENDER last they were $4,322, SS0141
In 1870 the deposits in savings banks
were $549,S74,35S, while on the Both of
| September, 1907, they were $3,690,07S,-
! 945
Taking the two together and including
ali the national, State, private
and savings-the deposits have increased
eightfold during the last thirty-seven
years-from 1902, 135921 in 1870 to
$S,023, 2SS,SS6 in 1907.
| The bank clearings for the entire coun-
| try are not given for 1870. The earliest
available figures are for 1890, when the
total for the United States was S5SS45,-
| 219,505 which has increased. to $751;
! 149,32S.913 for the last fiscal year.
The national bank circulation in 1870
was ,S2SS.64S.0S1. while on Dec IA last
it was $675,231, 800.
In 1870 we had only S25,0Oo.O00 silver
and gold coin. To-day we have 81 ,233,-
| 705, 500, of which S756.665 500 is gold
and the remainder silver.
| The interest bearing debt of the United
| States has been reduced from So, 0I6. 49,
! 722, or SG0.46 per capita of population,
in 1870 to $S69,603.010, or $40 20 per
capita, in 1907. The annual interest
charges on the public debt have been re-
dused from $11S,TS4,9 $50, or SO per cap
ita of population, to $21,62S,91 or %
cents per capita of population.
Notwithstanding the reductions in war
| taxes since 1870, the ordinary revenues
of the government have increased from
$S95, 1858, 1874 in that year TO $685., 14O, 434
| in 1907. and the ordinary expenditures
have increased from $164 421, 507 to
| SOD, 422.5S9. This does not include the
receipts or expenses of the postal service.
which is almost sef-sustaining. Last
! year the receipts from postage were S1S3,-
5S5,Gp5 and the expenses $191, 1887,
leaving a deficit of $7,629 1897 to be paid
out of the treasury.
The total revenues OF the government
| in 1907 were 1916, T2j, 339 and the total
expenses $S19S40,1 $50.
| The increase in the pension roll has
been enormous. The total in 1870 was
| SOS. SAG. 2G2, and in 1907 it is S139. 3O9,-
! J14. The cost of the army in 1870 was
ST., 56G.675. and in 1907 S122. SIC, 465.
The cost of the navy during the same pc
riod has increased from 81 ,7SO, go to
| S97, 12S.A69.
The imports of merchandise IN 1870
amounted to S435.95s, 40s, and our ex-
ports we're 1892, III, 76S that year. while
/ in 1907 the imports were ST. 434 ,421 .425
end the exports 81 .SS0,SJ ,07s. In 1870
the exports per capita of population were
\ $9.77. and, notwithstanding the enormous
| increase in population, the per capita in
| 1907 was $21.66.
The foreign commerce Of the United
| States for the calendar year of 1907 has
been larger than in any previous year in
the history of the country, both in i'm
ports and exports, and our trade with
every grand division Of the world Is in ex-
cess of any previous year. The imports
during the eleven months ending Noy. 30
exceeded 81. $50. 100000, while the exports
were worth S1.7I6,OOG.OO0. If the in
crease has continued during December the
total Of exports viii reach nearly two
billions Of dollars. The exports for No
venber were the largest for any single
mouth on record and reached S204. A.
GEO. which was nearly seven millions a
day. Our exports 70 Europe were S40,-
100000 more than in 1906, when they
were larger than for any other year. Our
exports to North American countries also
gained S4O.0OO.OOO. Our exports to South
America gained s7.O00.OO0. TO Asia s11,-
0OG0oO and to Porto Rico. the Hawaiian
Islands and the Philippines more than
ten millions.
In 1880 there were only PSI .3J4 depos-
itors in the savings banks of the United
States in 1870 this number had increa5-
ed to 1.630.s46. One person in every
thirty Of the population was depositing
his or her savings where they would draw
interest. To-day s.JSs.s11 persons. or al
most exactly 10 per cent Of the entire
population Of the eonutry. have accounts
10 savings banks-an .Nyerage Of one in
every ten zen. women md children in
the United States.
The increase in wages per capita in
the United States since 1870 has been
about u pa cent. the increase during
49, 49, Effn~n wSarm kne haen d No.