The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-03-25
= y .
u. S. AS WORLD POWER.

The power of the United States in
world affairs has for its foundation
material resources aud geographical
location unmatched by any otner
country-we might safely say, un-
matched by any other continent Our
peculiar advantages, our vast re-
sources for the development of man
ufactures, for the production of food
stuffs with which to supply the needs
OF hundreds of millions of people and
for growing the materials-cotton
and wool-with which to clothe them
are unique The world has no dupli-
cate
Europe, with 400 million people,
has $4,000 square miles of coal land
The United States, with 81, million
people, has 100000 square miles of
good coal and 10000 square miles
OF inferior Goals and lignites. Our
coal supply is at least ten times as
great as Europe's and is greater than
all the known coal supply OF the rest
of the world Europe raises practi-
tically no cotton. We raise 700 mil
lion dollars worth a year. Europe
has five times as many mouths to
iced, but OF wheat and corn combin-
ed we raise one-hah OF all produced
in the world, and about 500 million
more bushels than all produced in
Europe. Europe may partly offset
this by rye, but we offset rye by rice
and other foodstuffs
With 6 per cent of the land area
OF the world and five and one-half
per cent OF the worlds population
we raise one-half of its wheat and
CORN 20 per cent of its cotton, have
more coal than has been discovered
in the rest of the world, and as much
iron ore. Our water powers can be
developed to such an extent that they
would furnish more power than is
used in all the power plants in Amer
lea. They are easily accessible, near
try, or TO the raw materials for man
ufacturing or mining
With FIVE and one-half per cent. OF
the worlds population we have 40
per cent of the world, railroad mile
rapidly that we need TO double our
entire railroad facilities within the
next ten or fifteen years. Our popu-
lation increases at the rate OF about
= per cent year On the present
basis of 81 millions this would give
us II millions TO IS millions more
people IN the next ten years and
something over twenty millions in
the following decade This will give
us over 125 millions by 1880 and $50
million people by 1910.
In thirty years our population will
be about 20 per cent larger than il
is today. but by virtue of the increas-
ing power of transportation on land
and sea, the use OF the telephone and
telegraph-which are among the
greatest agents that ever came into
existence for 'acceferating business
adding TO mans productive capacity
the 30 per cent of increase in pop
ulation will have a lar greater POI
tentiality than the total population OF
today. In other words the $50 million
people that Will be living in the Unit
ed States by 1910 will vastly exceed
in their potentiality to produce and
to consume what the same number
could do today
Not, however, in purely material
things is the United States destined
10 become more and more a world
power. Its greatest influence in all
probability TO be that which it is al
ready beginning TO exert upon the
advancement of wages in Europe,
and which sooner or later it is .des-
tined TO exert in all other lands. With
an average OF nearly one million peo-
pie year coming into this country
during periods of activity and high
wages, we furnish market for the
surplus labor of Europe. 1t comes to
the United States, finds employment
at wages much higher than in Eu-
rope, and the story OF high wages
of the old world When times OF dull
ness came population flows the other
way, and hundreds OF thousands re-
turn TO Europe to await greater ac-
tivity in this country. This inward
and outward flow OF population has
IT'S effect upon the labor market and
the rate OF wages everywhere 1t was
very noticeable a year or two ago,
when there was such a demand IN
this country for labor that every man
seeking employment could find job
Then we drained Europe OF its sur
Phbo NddolIS dl dQFdil>C vi
wages throughout all Europe coun.
tries. Similar effects. br. at much
slower rate, will eventually be seen
in the ORIENT. recommendation of
the people of all lands carries to the
most distant countries the facts about
the condition OF American laborers
AS a result men everywhere will
strive to secure wages somewhat
commensurate with those paid in the
United States, and this country will
be mighty power for the lifting OF
wages throughout the world, since
all nations will seek to rise to our
standard rather than to pull us down
to theirs.
As world power the United