River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-04-06
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perhCial estimate would easily make
the loss at ten million, placing the
population of 1910 at 101, 1872, 266-or
about 38,O00,00O 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 are 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:
ION 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 our 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 62,000,OOO in
1890, and our estimated population to-
day made by the governors of the
states is 87,803,231.
1--WE have grown from 13 states to
As. 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 1923 years the pyramid stands
unbroken. It has had some severe
shocks, but it remains immovable. 1t
had endured the storms of war, only
to be stronger. 1t stands frmer and
gives greater promise of duration than
when the fathers made it the symbol
of their faith"
President Mckinley was correct in
stating that the founders Of our ma
ton adopted the design of an unfin-
ished pyramid, over which was placed
the eye of Providence, and beneath it
the date 1776, with later motto set
ting forth the idea of a new order of
things" But he omitted to mention
flat the reverse or pyramid side of
the great seal was never engraved,
and never employed as part of the
SIGNATURE of the nation. Such is the
case. however, and therefore the unfin-
ished pyramid is an unknown factor in
heraldic Americana.
The forefathers intended this device
to mean that not any generation of
Americans would see the apex or
crest Of population-that it would go
on to eternity, and the cope-stones OF
our populations strength and repub-
lican triumphs be placed by divine
and not human hands. 1t was grand
symbolic conception, but eagerness to
possess a seal, and slowness in hav-
ing it executed, changed our national
signature from a seal enpendant to a
seal enplacard, thus robbing later gen.
erations of splendid emblem of pow
er and numerical greatness.
Nothing illustrates the magnificent
march of western civilization better
than the discussion in congress imme-
diately following the census of 1880,
and the said discussion also portrays
the progress in transportation, as well
as the western spread of population.
At that date Mr.. Smyth of Virginia,