Thus, had the rate of the preceding decade been maintained, or had that rate shown the steady increase which has been almost the general rule, we should now be a nation of 110,000,000 or 115,000,000 inhabitants. Lo this extent, but to this extent only, is our develop. ment in ten years disappointing for the addition of nearly 14,000,- 000 is by no means an insignificant matter. It is only when we compare our population with that of other countries that the magnitude of this achievement is really emphasized. In the last ten years we have added to our population a nation almost as large as Spain and one which is twice as large as Belgium. The Netherlands is generally regarded as a thriving and vigorous country, yet it does not contain half as many people as is se for this same period.
ars three Norways and three Swedens have been annexed to the United States, and six Denmarks have added their _fortunes to our own. If we go back twenty years. the numerical advancement which the -United States is making is even more striking, for since 1900 our population has increased by 30,000,000—which in itself is a nation almost as large as France or Italy. Since 1890 we have increased by 43,000~
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.