El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-21


being. and with one vote and one voice
formally declared war against Spain
The wonderful political and economic
! changes that have taken place since
| then marks that action as the begin
ming of new epoch, and no compari-
son in American history is so fire.
quently made as that between the
period before and the period since the
Spanish-American war
The expansion that has taken place
since the United States embarked upon
its career as a world power is so. great
as to astonish the beholder when it is
catalogued. The new battleships New
York and Texas could probably defeat
the entire victorious fleet of the Santi-
ago fight as badly as Cevera was de-
feated. and they can hurl more metal
at a single broadside than Dewey's en-
tire fleet did at Manila bay. Either
one of them could sink q ship like the
famous Oregon before the latter's guns
could drop a she'll close enough to do
damage. The old Texas, beside the
new one, would look like a pigmy be-
side a giant. And yet this is but
typical of the wonderful growth of
everything American.
Vast Expansion Takes Place.
The United States not only rivals
vi cat 1oI4lc1u AOH DSllS HdL1On
upon whose possessions the sun never
sets. but within or continental do
main vast expansion has taken place.
The growth in our population since the
beginning of the Spanish-American
war is greater than the entire popula-
ton of Spain today. We have added
enough people to our continental ter
ritory to substitute the population of
Brazil; enough to replace every man.
woman and child in the entire terri
tory from the Rio Grande to the Pan
anna canal.
The expansion of population has
brought with 1t expansion everywhere
else. and the people now need more
than three billion dollars in circula-
ton as compared with less than two
billion at the beginning of the Spanish
American war. The entire continent
Of South America does not have as
much money in circulation as is rep
resented by the gain the United States
has made in this single Is year period
As evidenced by bank clearings, the
business transacted has increased ESQ
percent in that line. Taking these two
statements together 1t is. easy TO see
that the average dollar has figured in
many more trades in 1910 than it did
in 1898. The bank clearings are more
than so times as great as the amount
of money in circulation. so that, omit
ting the vast volume Of business done
outside the banks. every piece of
money passed through so hands dur
ing the year At this ratio the travels
OF the smaller denominations must av-
erage 200 transactions a year.
Increase In Wealth
The wealth of the country has kept |
pace with the population and growth |
OF business during the period under /
review. If all the laws OF per capita (
increase that have obtained in the /
past hold good today. the national
wealth is probably $3.50. Zoo, coo. 0Oo (
The increase since 1898 would thus be
about $4,000. 0OO. 000.. That is four
times as much as the total wealth of
Spain at the time of our dispute with
her. The usufruct of our national
wealth activities for Is years is as
great as the entire national wealth OF
Germany 10 years ago. and almost as
great as that Of France Only England
md France in 1898 could show greater
aggregate wealth than is represented
n Americas increase in the IL years
Dur gain represents more than the en-
ire wealth of the remainder of the
western world at the beginning Of the
war. l.
Our expansion of international trade
las been equally wonderful. The i'm
,orts of the United States are now
wo and d half times as great as in
898. The increase alone exceeds the
otal imports of China, and is greater
han the imports of all the rest OF
Jorth America from Hudson bay to
Panama isthmus. with all Of South
america thrown in The expansion OF
'ur export trade has amounted 70
exceeds the entire export trade of !
pain and Italy together. 1t almost
qnals the entire foreign sales Of the
asst Russian empire
That there has been an increased ]
Sc of the mails since the declaration
( war against Spain is demonstrated ! 1
v the fact that Uncle Sam handles
4, 000, 900, 00C pieces a year today as
ompared with 5000. 600, 600 pieces then.
his expansion alone represents
reater mail business than that of
he German empire today; a greater
olume than that Of Great Britain and '
II her colonies together. 1t is nearly
ne-fffth as great as the entire mail
usiness of all the other countries of
he civilized world together.
II anybody thinks there was much
lory in defeating a country like
pain he will have his mind disabused !
hen he is told that the mere addi-
ons which Uncle Sam has made to
is income since that feat are more
han twice as great as the entire in
ome Of Spain today. The increase in
merican appropriations in the Is
ears of Uncle Sans sway as a world l
ower is greater than the entire ex- !.
enditures Of any country in the world
zcept France, Germany. Russia and :
ngland.
No Such Growth Known Before.
And so the comparisons might be :
Irried on to the end. The world in ,
l its history affords no such spec !.
Gle Of growth and development in
" 13year period a is offered by the
DRY of America in the 10 years that
SIS today. But that the next 8 years '
Ill see even this record eclipsed no q
lie doubts who has studied the his :
ry of American development Dur :
G that time the Panama canal will be {,
'ened and the trade routes of the :
Orld adjusted to the new conditions a
lie Mississippi valley. the Pacific coast :,
Id the Atlantic seaboard all will =
are in the great forward movement ! :,
industry and commerce that will | -
suit, and 1t is probable that the COM =
g 10 years will be much more won :,
rful than the past 10.
Wireless electricity. opening the | -