The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1908-01-11
William e. Curtis Says Croesus
Was Pauper Beside Our
Uncle Sam.
FIGURES SHOW BIG GROWTH.
Fer Capita Wealth in 1870 Was
$779.sS; in 1907 1t Was
$1,31o11.

oAS ooAaS AbuiSS IlAaL every DCuy SuOulu
read, because they mean so much. They
measure our greatness as a nation and
our prosperity as people, and al
though they are SO stupendous that the
human mind almost refuses to compre-
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 pauper compared to
him.
From the reports Of the bureau of
statistics, the census bureau, the Treas
ury and Agricultural Department VIII
liam Z. 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 compari-
son, because that was the beginning Of
a new era IN American commerce and
Industry that followed the Civil War.
Although the panic Of '73 arrested the
growth Of the country for a time, the
present period Of development began
then.
The population Of the country in 1870
was 3S,55S,371, or 1874 to the square
mile; the population on the Both Of June
1907, according to the estimates of the
census bureau, was 1888, 303, or IS %
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
$3O, O6S, 51S,OOO, while in 1907 1t is esti-
mated at more than three times that
amount, or $107, 104, 2l1,917.
AS far back as 1850 the per capita
wealth of the United States was csti-
mated at S307.69. In 1870 it had more
than doubled and was estimated at
$T79.S3. In 1907 it had almost doubled
again, and has reached the sum of ST.
BOIL per capita, which proves that we
are the richest people that ever existed
in other words, II 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 3Oth of June last
would have been entitled to $1,31O.11.
In 1870 the deposits in national banks
for the whole United States amounted to
$542, 261 1868, while on the Both of Sep
TENDER last they were 1892, $50, 141.
In 1870 the deposits in savings banks
were S549, S74,35S while on the Both of
September, 1907, they were S3,69O,07S,-
945.
Taking the two together and including
all the banks-nationai State, private
and savings-the deposits have increased
eightfold during the last thirty-saven
years-from $1,092,135,921 in 1870 to
$S,023, 28S,SS6 in 1907. ....... ...
The national bank circulation in 1870
was $2SS,64S081, while on Dec. Ia last
1t was $685. ,3C5.
In 1870 we had only $4,000, 900 silver
and gold coin. To-day we have 81, 233,-
7O5,S69, of which S756,665 1850 is gold
ard the remainder silver.
The irterest-bearing debt of the United
States has been reduced from $2,046, 49,
722, eT $6O.46 per capita of population,
In 1870 to SS69, 603,O1O, or $1O.26 per
capita, in 1907 The annual interest
charges on the public debt have been re-
duced from s11S, 7S4 900, or So per cap
ita of population, to 21,628,914, or %
cents per capita Of population.
Notwithstanding the reductions in war
taxes since 1870, the ordinary revenues
Of the government have increased from
1895, 950, 1874 in that year to S663, 14O, 434
In 1907. and the ordinary expenditures
have increased from 1854, 421 ,507 to
1854, 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 $685.
bS5, 0O5 and the expenses S191, PA, 1897,
leaving deficit of $7,629,3S7 to be paid
out of the treasury.
The total revenues OF the government
in 1907 were SS46, To-, $3.50 and the total
expenses SS19,S4O,150.
The increase In the pension roll has
been enormous. The total In 1870 was
$28, SAC, POP, and in 1907 It is $139. 3O9,-
GA. The cost Of the army in 1870 was
S57 ,566,67h and in 1907 $122, 576, 465.
The cost Of the navy during the same pc
Rod has increased from 81, $780, 30 to
t97, 128,469.
The imports of merchandise In 1870
amounted to $43S, 95S, 408, and our ex-
ports were 1902, I'll 6S that year, while
In 1907 the imports were S1.434, 421 .425
and the exports 81, $50, s51,07S. IN 1870
tho experts per capita Of population were