FOREIGN PROGRESS.
When we look abroad the most encouraging progress is in the race to which this republic owes its origin. In spite of the cruel oppression in Ireland, Great Britain has been prospering in the last twelve years. Mr. Mulhall, the able statistician, has shown in the contemporary Review that in the United Kingdom, since 1875, the population has increased twelve per cent., the wealth twenty-two per cent., trade twenty-nine per cent., shipping sixty-seven per cent., and instruction sixty-eight per cent. Hence there is a marked increase of knowledge and wealth. During this period the natural increase of population has been 1200 daily and the immigration to the United States and Colonies has averaged 600 daily. In addition to the national increase, there has been an immigration of 1,317,000, consisting of foreign settlers and returned colonists. Two-thirds of the emigration went to the United States.
This healthy increase of population contrasts favorably with the condition in France. England had in 1883 a surplus of births over deaths of 367,000 in a population less than 27,000,000. In France the surplus of births in 1881 was but 108,229, in 1884 but 79,000, and in 1885, 85,464. The excessive militarism cultivated in France is adverse to national growth, and justly so; while the peaceful condition of America insures great national growth—a beneficent law. No nation has ever grown with the rapidity of ours, but our rate of growth has greatly diminished during the present century. Dr. Fonce’s statistics show that twice as many children were born in proportion to population at the beginning of the century, as have been born since 1850. What is the reason?