The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-07-08
Our Glorious Country.

The following information concerning
our resources, production and attainment,
taken from the recently published Stats
teal Abstract, will be both interesting
and Instructive:
1t is interesting to observe, for exam
pie. from the figures of the various
States and Territories, that the total
continental area, including Alaska, is
about equal to that of all Europe; that
while the area conceded to the thirteen
original States by the peace treaty of
1888 was 1928, 900 square miles, their pres
ent area is but 1926, 600 square miles, the
other 1900 square miles forming in
whole or in part thirteen other States,
while the remaining "a States and Ter
ritories were created from territory adj
ded by purchase or annexation.
The developed water power Of the
United States is reported at 5,357, 600
horsepower, and the number of wheels
which it turns at 52,827. The estimated
coal supply of the United States is put
down, from statements made before the
Conservation Commission and included in
this volume, at 3, 1876, 708, 600, 900 tons;
while the output from the mines Of the
United States in 1907, the year of the
largest production, was 429, 600, 600 tons.
The available iron-ore supply OF the
United States is estimated at a, 7S5, OOO,-
600 long tons, and the production of iron
ore from the mines of the United States
in the year 1907 was 81, 1000, 600 tons, the
largest total ever produced in a single
year. The pig iron produced in the coun-
try in the same year of 1907 is shown to
have been rs, 7S1, 900 long tons, while the
worlds production of pig iron in that
year is given by accep ted authorities at
60, 500, 900 long tons. The petroleum areas
of the United States as at present
known are set down at $3.50 square
miles.
The volume shows from official figures
of State authorities, filed with the De-
partment of State, and compiled by the
Bureau of Statistics, that the popular
vote for presidential electors in 1888, the
first year in which these reports were re-
CURED by law, was Ii, 1881, 4o8; in 1892,
II, O43, SOB; in 1896, 13, 81 2l}; in 1890,
10, 1854, SIS; in 1904, Is, 523, 519; and in
1908, IA, 887, 1873, or about one vote for
every six persons.
The business activities of the busy peo-
pie of the United States are Illustrated
by figures of the Post-office Department,
which show growth in receipts, chiefly
of course from the sale of postage stamps,
from practically one million dollars in
1920, and five and one-half millions in
1850, to 20 millions in 1870. SO millions in
1880, 81 millions in 1890, 1902 millions in
1900, and 1911 IL millions in 1908. The
number of letters and post cards sent
through the postal system of rhe United
States is given as 6, 466 millions in 1907,
as against 1868 millions handled by the
postal service of the German Empire,
3, 1853 millions by the postal service of the
United Kingdom, 1,119 millions in
France, and l,O67 millions in Austria
Hungary. The telegraph messages sent
in the United States numbered nine mil
lions in 1870, 20 millions in 1880, SO mil
lions in 1890, 80 millions in 1900, and SO
millions in 1907.
The figures with reference to the
school system of the country show some
remarkable and interesting facts. The
salaries paid to superintendent and
teachers in the public schools, for in
stance, which amounted to 80 million dol
lars in 1870, Sc millions in 1880, and go
millions in 1890, aggregated 1873 millions
in 1900, and 1877 millions in 1907. The
number of pupils enrolled in the public
schools in 1907 was 16, $50, 600, and the
average daily attendance, $4,000;
while the students in colleges, universe
ties and schools of technology, who num-
bered 80 thousand in 1880, Sc thousand in
1890, and SO thousand in 1900, aggregated
$50 thousand in 1907
The wealth of the United States in
1850, according to the figures of the Cen
sus Office, was seven billions of dollars,
speaking in round terms in 1860, l6 bill
lions; in 1870, 80 billions; in 1880, 43 1-2
billions: in 1890, IS billions; in 1900, SO 1-2
billions; and in 1904, 107 billions; the
average wealth per capita being, accord
ing to the same authority, in 1850, S209;
in 1860, $514; in 1870, $3.50; in 1880, $3.50;
in 1890, S1,039; in 1900, 81, 1865; and in
1904, S1,310. The wealth production on
farms according to the estimate of the
Department of Agriculture, was in 1897
81, 250, 900, 900, and in 1907, ST, 412 900, 900.
Among the valuable articles produced on
the farm are included wheat, of which
the farm value in 1908 was set down at
GIT million dollars. larger sum than in
any previous year in the history of our
production; cotton, of which the value in
1906, the year Of largest valuation, was
722 millions; hay, in 1907, 744 millions;
and corn, in 1908, l,616 millions-these
being in all cases values on the farm.
Turning to commerce, the special sub
ject of the Bureau of Statistics, by which
the Statistical Abstract is prepared and
issued from year to year, the volume
shows rapid growth in imports and ex-
ports, especially during the past quarter
of century; that manufacturers mate
rails form an increasing proportion of
these growing imports, and that manu-
features form an increasing proportion
of the growing exports. Crude materi-
ais for use in manufacturing, which
formed but 76 per cent of the imports
in 1870, IA per cent in 1885, and q. 60
per cent in 1890, were 32.5 per cent of
the total in 1900 and 1926 per cent in
1907, the aggregate value of these crude
materials imported having been in 1870,
Sc million dollars, in 1880, 1872 millions, in
1890, III millions, in 1900, 276 millions,
andsin 1907 ATT millions. The material
partly or wholly manufactured imported
for further use in manufacturing, such
as pig tin, pig iron, pig copper, lumber,
wood pulp, etc., grouped under the title,
Manufactures for Further Use in Man
ufacturing," has grown from Sc million
dollars in value in 1870 to 274 millions in
1907, thus making the importations of all
materials for manufacturing purposes in
1907, 751 million dollars, or 81 per cent of
the total imports of that year.
On the export side manufactures form
a steadily increasing share of the total,
finished manufactures, which amounted