Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-04-06
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CENSUS 2HHEw

r~erficial estimate would easily make
the loss at ten million, placing the
population Of 1910 at 101, 972, 266-or
about $4,000, 900 less than Lincoln's
actual count.
The next and last president to show
definite interest in the population
problem was William Mckinley. His
remarks on the subject r historical,
since he was the first Of our chief ex-
ecutives to estimate the equation Of
population on the basis of the mean
ing Of the signature Of the nation, or
the great seal of the United States.
In 1899, just prior to the census of
1900, President Mckinley was the
guest of Chicago. He was called upon
to respond to the toast, "The Great
Seal Of the United States" and spoke
in part, as follows:
"On the reverse side Of the great
seal Of the United States authorized
by congress June 20, 1882, and adopt
ed as the seal of the United States Of
America after it's formation under the
federal constitution, is a pyramid,
signifying strength and duration"
Having described the meanings of
the additional emblem, the president
continued:
"In peace we have been signally
blessed, and u progress has gone on
unchecked and ever increasing in the
intervening years. In boundless
wealth Of soil and mine and timber
nature has favored us, while all races
of men of every nationality and eli.
mate have contributed their good
blood to make the nation what it is.
From 3,920,214 in 1890, our population
has grown to upward Of 81, 000,0 900 in
1890, and u estimated population to-
day made by the governors of the
states is S7,803,231.
I'VE have grown from 10 states to
45. We have annexed every variety Of
territory, from the coral reefs and
cocoanut groves Of Key West to the
fey regions of northern Alaska"
After dwelling on the immensely of
the population and its future destiny,
he concluded:
After 1913 years the pyramid stands
unbroken. 1t has had some severe
shocks, but it remains immovable. 1t
had endured the storms of war, only
to be stronger. 1t stands firmer and
gives greater promise of duration than
when the fathers made 1t the symbol
Of their faith"
President Mckinley was correct in
stating that the founders of our ma
tion adopted the design Of an unfin.
ished pyramid, over which was placed
the eye Of Providence, and beneath il
the date 1776, with a later motto set
ting forth the idea of a new order OF
things" But he omitted to mention
that the reverse or pyramid side Of
the great seal was never engraved
and never employed as a part of the
signature of the nation. Such is the
case, however, and therefore the unfin
ished pyramid is IN unknown factor iI
heraldic Americana.
The forefathers intended this device
to mean that not any generation OIL
Americans would see the apex Of
crest of population-that 1t woul1 &c
on to eternity, and the cope-stones o.
our populations strength and repub
lican triumphs be placed by divine
and not human hands. 1t was a grant
symbolic conception, but eagerness tt
possess a seal, and slowness in hav
ing 1t executed, changed our nationa
signature from a seal enpendant to
seal e~nplacard, thus robbing later gen
erations Of a splendid emblem of pow
er and numerical greatness.
Nothing illustrates the magnifcen
march Of western civilization bette
than the discussion in congress imme
diately following the census of 1886
and the said discussion also portray
the progress in transportation, as wei
AS the western spread of population
At that date q MI. Smyth of Virginia