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THE STATISTICAL CENTURY
be doubled in 30 to 50 years, and trebled or quadrupled
in a century. With such a growth of population there
must be growing markets, each nation having its own
share, apart from any possible improvement among the
black and yellow races, though such improvement as a
source of new trade is not to be ignored or despised.
In this view, then, the statistics as to the actual
growth of population in the world are reassuring. We
have the same certainty 'Of growth that people would
have had a hundred years ago, if they had foreseen the
discovery and occupation of region upon region in-
habited by uncivilized tribes which has been one of the
features of last century's progress. To create a new
population comes to the same end as finding a popula-
tion already existing. The latter can no longer be hoped
for as the world is being explored and occupied; but
the former remains, and it is the more important factor
in the progress of trade.
In conclusion. may we not entertain the hope that
the coming century, like the one which is passing away,
will be characteristically a statistical century? We have
had satisfactory experience so far of the uses of statistics,
and the problems before the world where statistics can
help are likely to be not less, but more, difficult and
anxious than they have been. Politics must be more
and more governed by true ideas drawn from statistical
information. and as time goes on the statistician should
be more and more recognized as preceding the" statist"
and economist. Associations like yours must also prove
of increasing interest and id\portance, and for this final
reason I have the greater pleasure in proposing the
toast intrusted to me - th.e Manchester Statistical
Society.