OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

Dunstan Times, 28 December 1900, Page 3

OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

[From the Evening Star's Correspondent.] THE FORTHCOMING CENSUS REPORT. Director of the Census Mirriam says of the forthcoming report that few people have any considerable idea of the vast amount of information gathered by the enumerators and supervisors and tabulated by a reserve of 3,500 clerks which will appear in the twelfth census report when it is published in full. Not only will it be complete as regards individuals, but there will also be fairly complete data ou a great many other subjects, more, in fact, than are furnished by the census of any other country in regard to its peop'e. The thorough enumeration of the people is necessary to the appcrtionate representation in Congress, but where the statistics are compiled and tabulated there will be the mo3t complete record ever made of the occupations, industries, and resources of a great people. No other nation takes such a thorough manufacturing census as we do. The amount of capital invested and the products of these enterprises will make a big showing for the prosperity of the United States. The manufacturing inquiry, the Director adds, will demonstrate beyond doubt that there is practically no limit to the industrial resources of the United States, and the result in figures will bo evidence of our ability, nob only to compete with the entire world for its trade, but, in addition thereto, to elevate our industrial army to a much higher plane in its mode of living and its method of thought. An equally good showing will be made as to agricultural resources and the landed interests of the country. The following table shows the population of eoch State and Territory in 1900 as compared with IS9O : 1 1900. 1890. Alabama 1,828,697 1.513.017 Arkansas 1,311,564 ™ California 1.455.053 1.208,130 Colorado 539.700 412,198 Connecticut 908,355 74t>,25S Delaware 184,7:35 )K8,493 Florida...' 328,542 391,422 fieo-sia 2,216,329 1,837,353 Idaho 161.771 84,385 Illinois 4,821,550 3,526\351. Indiana 2,5115,403 ?,192,404 lowa 2,251,829 1.911,890 Kansas 1.46&496 1.427,t1fiK Kentucky 2,147*74 1,858,035 LoiuK I.: ... 1,381.027 1.118,587 Maine OH4,3Wi 061, 8b Maryland . ... 1,189,946 1,042,390 Massachusetts 2.505.340 2,238,943 Michigan 2,419,782 2,n93,859 Minnesota 1,751,395 \M£& Mississippi 1,551,372 3,289,60(1 Missouri 1 3,107,117 2,079,184 Montana 243,289 132,159 Nebraska 1,065,91)1 3,058.910 NevaA* • ... 42,334 45,761 New Hampshire ... 411,58s 3<6,630 New Jersey . ... 1,883,00!) 1.414,933 New York 7,268.009 5,097.853 North Carolina 1,891,992 1.617,947 North Dakota 319,040 182,719 Ohio 4,157,545 3,672,316 (Won 413,532 313,707 Pennsylvania 6,301,305 5.258,014 Rhode Island 428.55(5 #5.506 South Carolina 1,340,312 1.151,149 South Dakota 401,559 ,328,808 Tennessee 2,022,7,3 1,767,518 Texas 3,048,828 2,232,523 Utah " 276,565 2»7,905 Vermont ... ... 343,641 332,422 Virginia 1,854,184 1,055,980 Washington 517,072 349,390 West Virginia 958.900 762 794 Wisconsin ■ 2,008,903 1,686,880 Wyoming 92,531 _ l ®'™ Totals, 45 States ... 74,627,807 62,116,811 TERRITORIES, ETC. Alaska (estimated) ... 44,000 32,052 Arizona 122,212 59,620 District of Columbia ... 278,718 230,392 Hawaii 154,001 89.990 Indian Territory ... 391,960 180,182 New Mexico ' 193,777 153,593 Oklahoma 398,245 61,834 Persons in the service of the United States stationed abroad (estimated) 84,400 Indians etc., on reservavations (except Indian Territory) 14q,252 Totals, 7 Territories, „„,„,- etc. 1,667,313 952,945 Note. The above figures are exclusive of Indians, who number 89,541. The Congressional apportionment to be made under the new census will be marked by changes in the distribution ot political power. The exhaustion of the Government free lands has served to check'the rapid growth of Western States, which do not have manufactures as we'd as agriculture to depend on. Bieed on a ratio of population, there will bo an increase of twenty Congressmen, distributed principally among the middle aad central State.". TEE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. The agony is over, and the Hon. William M'Kinley haa been re-elected President, and Governor Theodore Roostvelt, of New York, elected Vjce-Pretiident of the United States by larger majorities than any previous Presidential candidates ever received. Ttiey carried every Northern State from Maine to California, except the silver-producing States of Montana and Idaho. The " solid South " is at last broken, for the Border States of Maryland and Delaware to-day stand in the Republican column, white Kentucky was lost by a scratch. The Electoral College was thus constituted : M'Kinley and Roosevelt ... ... 302 Bryan aiid Stevenson .. ... 145 This is thirty-otic more electoral votes than M'Kinley and Hobarb received in lSOu'. The new Congress will therefore ba compooed of : Senators. Representatives. Republicans ... 53 197 Democrats ... 26 151 Independents 11 8 PARTY PREDICTIONS. The Republican Press trotted out their roosters in their issues of the 7th. The ' Chicago inter-Ocean,' underneath an immense game-cock, played the role of prophet after this fashion— FOUR YEARS MORE. The result of yesterday's election meansFour years more of honor at home and respect abroad i'or the American flair. Four ypars more of prosperity at home ana prestige abroad for the American people. Four years more of progressive, a-rgressive, am expansive Americanism, from the snow-clad mountain peaks of Alaska to the suu-kisseii valleys of the Philippine?. ~ Four years more of honest money, honorable business methods, overflowing bank vaults, a solvent national treasury, and full dinner pans. Four years more of American pride in the prowess and pluck of the American soldiers. Four vears more of freedom for the farmer from mortgages, of the merchant from bankruptcy, and the working man from idleness. Four years more of immunity from the withering influence of Populism and the blighting shadow of eopperheadism. Four years more of opportunity for the American boy, of hope for the American man, of profit for the American producer, of success for the American manufacturer, of employment for American capital. . . Four years more of everything that makes for the glory, the stability, and the perpetuity of the greatest Republic the sun ever shone upon. It means all these things, and it means in addition that so long as intelligence, courage, and patriotism shall guide the minds and move the hearts of American citizens as they were guided and moved yesterday this nation will never call in vain for defenders of its honor, its institutions, and its flag. THE ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY UNCHANGED. President M'Kinley went to his home at Canton (Ohio) to vote, and on returning to Washington as soon as the smoke of the battle had cleared away he called his Cabinet together andjja|to them, in substance, that " cf his Cabinet had co-operated JB B| in fully in the arduous work of jJH Kf' 7l "' years ;/that; the most kindjM HLfaeliog fftated

between them; that he dreaded entering upon a term of another four years unless he could have the members of his present Cabinet about him,” and then requested every member of his Cabinet to withhold sending in their customary resignations and remain at their posts of duty. This gracefu action was an innovation in Presidential custom, and took every member of the Cabinet by surprise. Another important point is settled —that there' will be no change of' Presidential policy.. The laughable results of tho campaign have been the payment of election .bets, the terms of many of which iire exceedingly absurd. The more serious part is COUNTING THE COST. A newsmagazine—‘The World’s Work’— for November undertakes the, task of counting up the cost of a Presidential From this source I learn ’ that in- 1876 £160,000 was collected and spent by the managers of the two parties. Four years later they had £-200,000 at their disposal. Iu 188-4 they had £300,000. In 1888 the Harrisou-Cleveland campaign cost £360,000. The campaign of 1892 cost the twm principal national parties £400,000. In 1896 the sum of £BOO,OOO, was- spent by the two principal parties. This year the expenses of all the parties (including the aide show's) will not bo less than £4,000,0p0- , BUSINESS AND THE CAMPAIGN. Seldom if ever has a Presidential campaign produced so little interference with trade and business. The advertising columns of the great newspapers, the comparison of bank clearings, the figures on the Stock Exchanges, and other tests show that there is a vast difference between the conditions now and four years ago, when the commercial honor, the credit, aud prosperity of the nation were thought to be threatened. Now business men have greater faith in the sober judgment of voters. The ‘ New York Commercial’ has been making a canvas, and finds that while in a number of lines business has been unsatisfactory, in every instance a careful consideration of the situation will-show other causes than politics. For example, in the woollen and clothing trade the warm weather has interfered with heavy retail purchases. The belied that no one really expects any change in business to follow an election is shown by the fact that, in the West trade is less disturbed than in the East. Western merchants were evidently convinced that there would'be no change of administration or of policy. This compels speculation as to what might have been the result had M’Kiuley been defeated. WOMEN’S PART IN THE ELECTIONS. It is somewhat significant that the results in the four States in which women were permitted to vote in the recent Presidential election show very clearly the effects of women’s influence at the polls. These States are Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho. In each State the women cast more votes than they did four years ago," In Colorado the female vote has increased in the last four years from 46,000 to 86,913, owing to the greater interest taken in the election and the fact that there was a Senator to be elected from Colorado. The present incumbent (Senator E. O. Wolcott) was a candidate for re-election, but he was opposed by a majority of the women < on account of his impure private life, his recent divorce from his wife, aud much-advertised notoriety given by his alleged gambling habits. He always treated poker-playing as a joke, but the women regarded the matter as serious, aud while they voted for the head of,, theticket, they elected a Legislature that willassuredly defeat Wolcott’s candidature. . The women of Wyoming’ exercised- their right of suffrage to a greater extent than ever before. They cast 7,000 of the 2f3,000 votes polled on November 6. They carried the State for Mr M‘Kinley, but defeated Mr C. Thompson, the Republican candidate for Congress,* because of a statement that he made in a letter to the Anti-Eernale Suffrage Association of New York to the effect that the women’s vote of Wyoming was the easiest thing to get of any element in politics. This statement, which was reprinted in a circular by the New Y'ork Association, created intense indignation; and the women rallied to the support of Thompson’s opponent, Mr Mondell, electing him by a majority of 800 votes. In Utah, the Mormon Church candidates were aided by the To-male 'votes. The sisters of the church were more willing to follow their eccleaiast-'cal leaders than were tho male members. In that State the only woman on the “ticket” was defeated by the female voters. #The women voted against her simply because she was a woman. The principal effect of female suffrage in Utah, as shown by every election held there since the women obtained the privilege of voting, has been to strengthen the political power of the Mormon Church, The Mormon women are more numerous than the Mormon males, and far outnumber the Gentile women. The despatches from Sdt Lake indicate clearly that a large proportion of the men—the young men especially—refuse to be guided by the wishes of their elders, and cast their votes regardless of official advice. The womep, as a role, are more devout, and obediently vote the will of their bishops as the vyill of God. THE CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTION. •■•* " • • The General Election was held in Canada on the 7th inst., and resulted in the complete triumph of the Liberal, party and iu the defeat of Sir Charles Tupper, the recognised leader of the Conservatives, who has an unbroken political career extending over forty years. In this election he encountered his first defeat, which came as a genuine surprise to all parties. The province of Quebec stands by Sir Wilfrid Launer. The maritime provinces are supporting Sir Wilfrid more pronouncedly than ever. The four counties of Capa Breton send to Ottawa a solid delegation of five Liberals, which will make the parliamentary contingent of Nova Scotia consist of fourteen Liberals and six Conservatives. Prince Edward Island returns five Liberals and five Conservatives, while one district has yet to be contested. The return of the Ltoeral party to power is assured by. an overwhelming majority, as the subjoined returns show ;

Liberal majority over Conservatives—4s. Liberal majority over Conservatives and Independents—27. _ Liberal and Independent majority over Conservatives—s3. Five elections have yet to be decided. The Canadian elections are interesting and significant to ns because of their bearing upon an idea which has been assuming special prominence before the English-speaking portions of the British Empire during the last half-dozen years, and was the leading issue in this election —viz., a closer trade alliance between Great Britain end her colonies. In reality both political parties in the Dominion favor “preferential trade” with Great Britain, but differ *3 to howiyujL

be promoted. Sir Charles Tupper, speaking for his party, declared in his opening campaiga address for "an arrangement by which the produce of the Dominion will be given preferential tariff treatment throughout the Empire, in return for like preferential treatment given to us by the people of Great Britain und by our fellow-colonists." As applied to Canada this would mean th&t Great Britain should impose a small duty on goods from the United States and other foreign countries while continuing to admit goode from Canada free, and in return that Canada should lower—nob abolish—her duties against imports from Great Britain ; that high colonial tariffs should be used to force Great Britain to abandon her Freetrade policy toward the world at large, and to return it for her colonies only, In this manner, according to a resolution introduced by Sir in the Canadian Parliament threS years ago, he believed that there could be brought about "a system of mutual trade preference between Great Britain and Ireland aiid the colonies which would greatly stimulate increased production and commerce between these countries, and would thus promote and maintain the unity of the Empire." On the other hand, Sir W. Laurier has treated the policy of "no preference to Great Britain unless Great Britain gives a similar preference to Canada" as at present impracticable, since the Mother Country would not even consider the proposition that Bhe should abandon Freetrade towards the world and restrict it to her colonies unless the latter would abolish their tariffs against her—a thing which Canada is in no hurry to do. Tbo Liberal policy is therefore,not to give British goods free entry, but a preferential tariff in Canadian porti, hoping that a preferential return trade will naturally be provoked thereby. The Laurier Governmf nt in 1897 reduced the Canadian tariff 33J per cent, as against Britisn imports, and the Premier claims that great mutual advantages have resulted, through the principle that "trade invites trade," and, through sentimental preference, awakened an interest among British merchants and consumers for Canadian products. From one point of view it was the wise thing for the constituencies of the Dominion to continue the Liberal Government in power. The two Governments have, several nnpoitant international quest iocs under negotiations, and it is very important that these negotiatioßS should be carried on and completed without a change of actors or of party policy on either sid,e of the St. Lawrencr. The Alaska boundary dispute, the seal fisheries, and somo other matters tva yet open and unsettled between the two countries, and should now be brought to a speedy and satisfactory conclusion. i V- ,

Provinces. Liberal. 1 Conservative. 1 j Independent. Ontario 35 53 3 Quebec 5(5 7 1 New Brunswick 5) 5 0 Nova Scotia 15 5 0 Prince Edward Island 4 1 0 Manitoba 1 4 2 British Columbia 1 > 2 1 North-west Territories 2 1 1 Totals 123 78 8