The Washington herald., 1908-06-04


Tho periods Of depression which It some
times suffers are but the growing pains
OF the boy in knlckerbockers. They are
peinful at the time. but instead OF being
cause for pessimism. they are, In truth.
the earnestness OF hope. They have in
variobly resulted in a readjustment OF
conditions for better things on a larger
scale. 1t does not require the inspiration
os q prophet to project upon the screen
OF the future the picture OF what the
United States viii be when Il comes to
its estate as a full-grown man among
nations. The mathematician, by his exact
skill predicted years ago what We are
to-day. The same calculation which has
never failed to forecast the totals Of our
docennial censuses shows that by the
year 1000 the United States will have
population of 3S5, 00O COO. This is five times
greater than the American population to-
d"y IN the past ninety years the in
crease was ten-fold.
The present territory of the country
will be amply able TO take care of that
Immense number OF people. No one re-
CARDS Maryland as an OvercrOwded State.
bat II the density Of It's population We're
extended all over the country there
would be the 3S5,0OO,0OO people predicted
Tor the year 1000 II the density of the
New England States and the States OF
the North Atlantic group north OF the
Potomac were extended, the country
would have nearer 100000. The pre-
dicted population of ninety years hence
would give 1& persons TO the square
mile, leaving FIVE acres 10 each person.
To carry the illustration a little further.
II the whole country had as many peo-
pie to its size as Rhode Island, IL would
have a population of a billion and a quar-
ter. The basis of Massachusetts, popula-
ton would carry it beyond the billion
mark. II all the States were in Pennsyl-
vania's class. the total would be 400
0OO.C0O.
There is no doubt OF the ability of the
country to take care Of its full quota OF
citizens, even II the mathematician is un-
derestimating the mark. OF course. these
figures are made upon the basis that all
OF the territory of the country will be
Inhabited. That cannot be hoped for.
because much of the great mountain
ranges can never be habitable Popula-
ton is not evenly distributed now. and It
never VIII be. The same reasons which
have caused the building OF the metrOpo-
lis OF Manhattan will continue 70 operate.
New York will grow enormously. other
great cities VIII expand, and new great
cities will arise.
But. for the sake Of a graphic picture
Of our great destiny, let IL be assumed
that the cities OF to-day viii increase in
accordance with the ratio which will
govern the population Of the whole coun-
try. New York will in ninety years be
the biggest city In the world with II. 1000
600 people. To attain this It's growth VIII
be much slower in the coming nine dec
AIDES than II has been in the past. Chi
cago will be there with 100000. twice rs
great as the New York Of to-day. Phila-
delphia will have 100000, and wiz be as
large as the London OF 1908. Cleveland,
Buffalo, San Francisco. Cincinnati and
Pittsburg viii be over the 100000 mark
and the ''mllliOnaires'' will include New
Orleans. Detroit Milwaukee. Washington.
Newark. Louisville Minneapolis. and St
Paul Richmond, Atlanta, and Memphis
viii be as large as the st. Louis OF to-
day, and Omaha will be bigger than Bos-
ton is now. The town Of 10000 now will
have 100000 then
This is a hint OF the destiny which Is
surely ahead Of this richest and newest
OF countries. The accomplishment OF the
year 1000 will be the result OF all the years
that lie In between now and then. The
growth Is going on now; the growing
pains are evidence of H. The older ma
tons those already grown up. have even
now much greater contract In caring
for their people than the United States
will have when all of these predictions
are realized II everybody in the United
States and Mexico We're 20 be forcibly re
moved TO the State of Ohio. the Buckeve
State would be no more crowded than is
the habitable portion of Japan to-day.
The predicted growth of this country in
the next ninety years viii not be nearly
as remarkable as the growth Of England
IN the century following the loss Of It's
American colonies. A New York OF IT,
100000 Is less wonderful 10 contemplate
than the London Of to-day would have
been TO the minds eye Of that company
OF wits who graced the reign OF Queen
Anne. When Columbus discovered Amer
lea the total population Of Europe was
only 5O,0OO.0O0. II is now 4OOOOOOOO. and
the habitable area Of Europe is Just about
the same as that Of the United States
leaving out Alaska and the islands Of the
sen
That conditions Of life will change 10
meet the responsibility of the great
growth of the country is inevitable. From
movements now under way, II is possible
10 toresee some OF these changes. The
ard deserts Of the great West will be
turned into wonderfully fertile fields and
gardens. Irrigation and the science of dry
farming will reclaim every possible
square inch of sell. and the desert will
be pushed back to the very feet of the
bare rocks Of the mountain sides.
The swamp lands Of the country will
be drained and turned into productive
fields The Everglades Of Southern Flori-
ca VIII he transformed from an impass-
able morass, %ad in ninety years from
now viii be famed as the richest garden
Of tropical fruits in the world. The
broad acres Of the swamps Of the south
ern Mississippi valley will be reclaimed
Tor the use Of the farmer. who will supply
the people with cotton for their backs
and sugar for their tables.
The Panama Canal will then be the
great center Of the worlds trade. and the
United States viii have a METROPOLITAN
city on the Canal Zone. freed bv science
from every terror Of the tropics. The
influence Of the canal will have built IN
great ports Of the Gulf Of Mexico New
Orleans and Galveston will outstrip the
ratio OF Increase, and will be we'll in the
millionaire" class Of cities The Great
Lakes will be connected with the Gulf
Of Mexico by deep waterway following
the course Of the curbed and restrained
Mississippi Ships viii sail directly from
Pittsburg to the Orient by way OF Pana-
ma. The steel from the Birmingham iron
center viii be loaded onto deep water
ships at the very mouth Of the furnace
This prospect Is wonderful. but not
nearly so wonderful as the Manchester