The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-22
our NATIONAL PROGRESS.

That more than 15,00U,0 600 persons
in the United States will record their
votes for President in the campaign
of the present year is evident from
the official statistics of presidential
vote published in the statistical ao-
stract of the United States, which mas
lust been issued by the bureau OF
statistics, department OF commerce
and labor. Prior to 1888 no govern
ment official record of the votes cast
for President existed, but an act pass
ed by congress on February 8, 1851.
made it the duty of the executive OF
each state to report to the secretary
of state the names of electors and the
number of votes given or cast for each
person voted for, and these reports.
made to the secretary of state in 1898
and in each subsequent presidential
1 election, form the basis OF the omclai
record of presidential elections in the
/ United States. This record, which has
/ been published for several years In
1.-The statistical abstract of the United
/ States suggests that the total num-
Der of votes cast in thhe presidential
election of this year will for the first
/ time exceed 15,000,0 600 The total num-
her in 1908 was Ia, 8S7 900; in 1900, 49,
e65. 600: in 1892, 12,044,o0o, and in 1888,
4 1.3s1 900 Dividing the vote thus Off
4 cialIy recorded into the population
named by official counts or estimates
for the years in question, this shows
the average population for each vote
. cast, az follows: in 1908, 5.9S persons
for each vote cast; in 1904, 6.10; in
1900, 5.44; in 1896 SO; in 1892, $40;
and in 1858, 5.27. The statements
published in the abstract, show the
vote cast in each state for the various
candidates In each presidential cleo
: ton from 1883 to 1908, and the cleo
: toral vote by principal political parties
state by state, during the same period.
Il The above statement, showing the
} official record of presidential elections
J. during the last quarter of century
I illustrates the variety of interesting
D and official information presented by
0 the statistical abstract issued annually
e by the department of commerce and
i labor through its bureau of statistics
d the thirty fourth number of which has
t Just made its appearance. It shows
# for example, that the average pei
d capita wealth of the country has grown
s from s30T in 1850 TO over $1,000 in
g 1904, the latest official record on this
subject; the money in circulation
from s12 per ca pita in 1850 to s34 pei
capita in 1911; the bank clearings
a from 52,ooO,o00,0oO dollars in 1887
If the first year for which an oficia
Of record was available, to $4,000 900,
sr 900 in 1911; the individual deposits
le in banks, from 1000, 100000 dollars il
Il 1919, the earliest year for which fig
I'd ures are available, TO practically 10,
IN 0O0,000,0o0 in 1911; the number OF de
IS positors in savings banks, from 1000
coo in 1866 to 9,5000O0 in 1911; tn,
e. exports Of domestic products, from
little over 100,000,O00 dollars in 1874
es to over $2,000,00o,0o0 in 1911; and tn
r. value of manufactures produced ii
KY the country, from si,000,Uoo,0OO Il
IN 1850 to $20,000.o00,0o0 in 1910; an,
lie any other equally interesting eyider
ht ces Of national growth
a Among the general subjects statj,
on tically presented in the 500 pages II
so Guided in the volumes are: area. n;
en- tural resources and population of tn
United States; agriculture, forestr,