128
PERILS.
THE
CITY.
in the preceding chapter. Enough has been said to show that the West is peculiarly exposed to the dan-
gers with which wealth threatens the nation.
CHAPTEE PERILS.
The is also
X.
THE CITY.
It city is the nerve center of our civilization. the storm center. The fact, therefore, that it is
growing much more rapidly than the whole population In 1790 one-thirtieth of the is full of significance. States lived in cities of 8,000 of the United population inhabitants and over; in 1800, one twenty-fifth; in 1810, and also in 1820, one-twentieth in 1830, one ;
sixteenth; in 1840, one-twelfth; in 1850, one-eighth; in 1860, one-sixth ; in 1870, a little over one-fifth ; and in 1880, 22.5 per cent., or nearly one-fourth.* From
1790 to 1880 the whole population increased twelve From 1830 fold, the urban population eighty-six fold. to 1880 the whole population increased a little less than four fold, the urban population thirteen fold. From 1870 to 1880 the whole population increased thirty per cent., the urban population forty per cent. During the half century preceding 1880, population in the city increased more than four times as rapidly as that of the village and country. In 1800 there were *
"
Compendium
of tne
Tenth Cengus," Part
1.,
pp.
xxx and 8.