DEBT AND WEALTH.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 357, 12 March 1903, Page 3

DEBT AND WEALTH.

Ttmuwa <m> the Voi-aae* Asm BKoip* SeoJSr OMcllkU* Tfema Ml Increase in the national debts and the wealth of the world are keeping yac« -with each other, and each is ih~ ereasing enormously, according to the recent figures given out by the bureau of (statistics of the United States treasury. During the last 100 years the nalions of the earth have increased their debts tenfold, and the wealth of the peoples of the nations has advanced to the same extent, aaya the New York Herald. At the beginning' of the nineteenth century the aggregated debts of the world were about $3,100,000,000, io which a cipher must be, added to get the debts of to-day. These figures are more easily obtained than are those on we*lth, for little is known of property statistics in most of the countries,and -till less was known a hundred years ago. In 1800 the wealth of the United States, United Kingdom, France and Spain was estimated at $20,244,640,000, while Mullittll now place* their wealth st about $195,900,000,000. With the.se increases in debts and wealth, population has increased ISO per cent., and jold and silver, which form the basis of the money with whioh payments are made, have increased 300 per cent. The. bureau of statistics charges these debts principally to wars, standing armies and works of public utility. Of the latter, canala, harbors, river improvements and railways are the principal. Of the railways, which cost $30,000,000,000, about one-third are owned by national governments'.