The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-03-06
AME lCA IS RICHEST
AM Nc The NATIONS
William E. Curtis Says Croesus
Was Pauper Beside Our
Uncle Sam.
FIGURES SHOW BIG GROWTH.
For Capita Wealth In 1870 Was
s77e. 50; in 1907 It Was
$1,31O.11. s.

p4, olU. Ii. .
AS a rule, the average newspaper
reader does not like statistics, but here
are some figures that everybody should
measure our greatness as nation and
our prosperity as a people, and al
though they are SO stunendous that the
human mind almost refuses to eompre
bend them. they carry a lesson that ey-
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
Try and Agricultural Department Will
liam E. Curtis, the Washington CORE
spodent, has compiled a few significant
figures showing the material develop
ncnt Of the United States within the
asst thirty-seven years. He has select
sd the year 1870 as a basis Of compari-
son, because that was the beginning Of
new era IN American commerce and
industry that followed the Civil War
Although the panic of ~ arrested the
growth Of the country for time, the
present period Of development began
then.
The population of the country in 1870
was 33,JJS,371, or 1874 to the square
ale; the population on the 3Oth Of June,
1907, according to the estimates of the
census bureau, was $685. 1903, or 1928
Der square mile.
The tangible wealth of the country, the
rue valuation Of real and personal prop
srty, according to the census of 1870, was
s3O.06S,51S, 900, while in 1907 it is esti-
mated at more than three times that
mount or $1O7, 1A,211.917.
| AS far back as 1850 the per capita
wealth of the United States was csti-
mated at $3O769. In 1870 1t had more
han doubled and was estimated at
H79S3. In 1907 it had almost doubled
lgain, and has reached the sum of ST.
}lOi1 per capita. which proves that we
Ire the richest people that ever existed.
n other words. if the real and personal
property belonging to the inhabitants of
he United States could be equally dis
ributed among them, each man, womsn
md child living on the Both of June last
would have been entitled to S1.31O.11.
In 1870 the deposits in national banks
or the whole United States amounted to
1912, 281 1868, while on the Both Of Sep
;ember last they were 1892, s8O,141.
In 1870 the deposits In savings banks
we're $549, 1913, while on the 3Oth of
September, 1907, they were $3,69O,O7S,-
b45.
Taking the two together and including
I'll the banks-national, State, private
ind savings-the deposits have increased
dghtfold during the last thirty-seven
rears-from $1,O02, 135,921 In 1870 to
IS, O23, 2SS,SS6 in 1907.
The bank clearings for the entire coun-
ry are not given for 1870. The earliest
AVAILABLE figures are for 1890, when the
otal for the United States was $685.
79,505, which has increased to $751;
T49, 328,913 for the last fiscal year
The national bank circulation in 1870
was ,S2Ss,64S,OS1, while on Dec Il last
was S675, 231, 1905.
In 1870 we had only 25OOO,OOO silver
md gold coin. To-day we have ST ,23333,-
| IO5 800, of which $756,665, 1863 is gold
md the remainder silver.
The Understanding debt of the United
States has been reduced from S2,O46, 455,-
/ f22, or S6O.46 per capita Of population,
n 1870 to 1869, 6O3,O1O, or $1O.26 per
capita, in 1907. The annual interest
charges on the public debt have been re-
1uced from $11s.7s 800, or So per cap
ta Of population, to S21, 62S,914, or %
:eDts per capita of population.
Notwithstanding the reductions in war
If the government have increased from
s395, $50, 1874 in that year to 1868, 14O, 434
N 1907, and the ordinary expenditures
have increased from S164,421, 5O7 to
s554, 422 $50. This does not include the
receipts or expenses of the postal service
which is almost self-sustaining. Last
year the receipts from postage were S1S3,-
5S5,OO5 and the expenses S191, 214,3S7,
leaving deficit of $7,629,3S7 - be paid
,ut of the treasury.
The total revenues Of the government
IN 1907 were SS46, 725, 339 and the total
expenses S819,s4O, $50.
The increase in the pension roll has
been enormous. The total in 1870 was
s2s, $40, POP, and in 1907 it is S13o, 3Oo,-
514 The cost of the army In 1870 was
PSI, 566,675, and in 1907 $122, SIC, 1866
The cost Of the navy during the same pc
rod has increased from $21, 7B0, $50 to
so7, 128, 400.
The imports Of merchandise In 1870
amounted to S435, 1858, 4o8, and our ex-
ports were 1892, 1,76s that year, while
1907 the imports were ST 49,. 421 ,425
md the exports $780, 51 ,07S. In 1870
the exports per capita of population were
b9.77, and, Notwithstanding the enormous
increase in population the per capita Ia
1907 was s21.66
/ 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
and nd trad with