The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-10-08
POP ULAT|ON CROWS
CHICAGO HAS GROWN 22S PER
CENT IN HALF CENTURY.
Figures of the Various Nations; Chi
cago Postoffice Has a Problem on
It's Hands in Compelling Girls to
Identify Themselves When Calling
for Mail at the General Delivery;
100000 People Patronize Library.

Chicago, Oct 5.-An unkind statisti-
clan has almost eclipsed Chicago by
comparing its 2,250O00 population with
the total population of the world,
l,452,O0O,000. In this comparison even
the 1910 census population of tne
United States, 9O,OOO,O0O or more, be-
comes almost insignificant, although
its population increase dring the sec
ond half of the last century was 22S
per cent, and for the first half of
that 240 per cent, more marvellous
record than any other country can
show from immigration. The items
of the world population, which dim
inished Chicago to a mere fly speck
on battered tin globe, included the
following:
Chinese empire, 433,OO0,000; British
empire, 4lO,OOO,OOO; Russian empire,
100000; United States Including
Philippine Islands and Porto Rico,
95,OOO,OO0; France, 90,000,000; German
empire, 100000; Japan, 100000;
Austria Hungary, 45,OOO,OOO; Neither
lands, 100000; Ottoman empire, 3d.
O00,OOO; Italy, 33,000,000.
The curious fact about these figures
is that the population of western Eu
rope has not diminished, notwithstand
ing the enormous immigration to
North and South America, Australia
and South Africa from European
countries. Never since historians began
to keep tab on population has there
been such an increase as during the
last MALT of the nineteenth century
and the beginning of this one.
81 believe now that Chicago is on
the right road toward overcoming its
vice district" was the comment OF
Charles n. Crittenton of New York,
founder of the Crittenton Mission with
branches in seventy-eight cities, re-
garding the vigorous fight taken up
by Chicago business men against the
white slave traffic as the most fla
grant of evils of the red light district.
Conditions in Chicago are the worst
in the United States" he added, "and
[ have seen the Frisco wharves, the
Pensacola dives and the fostering vice
of every large city, but Chicago
find the most depraved of ALL" The
enforcement of the new Illinois stat
utes aimed specifically at the barter
ing of girls for vice, now is assured
by active interest taken by CONNER
cial bodies and powerful organizations
of many nationalities and creeds, as
the result of efforts made by the
committee chosen by the Woman's
World magazine which took practical
steps toward the suppression OF re-
cruting for vice districts and cities
throughout the United States. The
Illinois statutes, taken as a model
by the Minnesota legislature last
spring and by legislatures of otner
states, promises to be brought into
beneficial use in Massachusetts, Ten
nessee, Alabama and several other
states when their legislatures convene.
1t has been found that the existing
statutes of most states are but fiimsy
protection to the operation of pro-
cutters, lOI INC UldlllC SOeS Ol dC dii
astounding rate with the result of ruin
to not less than $4,000 girls each
year, and the consequent heart break
of parents whose daughters innocence,
vanity or heedlessness have made them,
under present conditions, easy prey.
The day of the great American
drama and dramatist lies just beyond
the present day infatuation of the
public here and in England for spark
ling theatrical froth, according to the
English actor, John E. Dodson, now
starring in Chicago. His study of
the trend of things theatrical in Eng
land inspired the prediction that, when
the business pace begins to slacken
in the United States, true drama will
again have consideration and develop
ment. From the time of Babylon
down it has been the history of every
nation that art, including dramatic
art, has not reached its zenith until