The Nineteenth Century , No 182, Apr 1892 [‎65r] (134/244)

1892 THE CREDIT AUSTRALASIA
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and in every way fulfil the valuable purposes for which they were
intended.
3, (h) That the populations of
greater ratio than the Rural Populatio —Mr. Fortescue does not
seem to be satisfied with his attempts, upon financial grounds, to
show that Australian railways have failed c to accomplish much
towards the end for which they were constructed;' for he advances,
in support of the same contention, the statement that, as the ratios
of chief urban populations are now relatively higher to rural popula
tions than in the year 1881, therefore (!) the railways'
"promote a marked increase in the Now, any
one who has paid the slightest attention to the science of demography
will at once perceive that here again Mr. Fortescue has committed
himself to a series of errors.
In the first place, the inference, that the rural population in
Australia has failed to show a marked increase within the last decade,,
is unmistakably the reverse of the truth.
In the second place, it is evident that Mr. Fortescue's acquaint
ance with this portion of his subject is extremely faulty; for no skilled
person could pretend to draw a conclusion regarding the positive
increase of a rural population from the mere reference to the altera
tion of ratios between the rural and urban populations within any
given period. Finally, the causes which determine the alteration
in the ratios between urban and rural populations lie deeper and
extend wider than even those that determine the influence which
railways exert upon a community.
To mistake a concomitant for a cause, as Mr. Fortescue appears
to have done, is a flagrant blunder in reasoning. That the ratios of
urban centres in Australasia must tend to increase faster than rural
ratios is inevitable, if she is to keep pace with the front rank of.
nations in modern civilisation; for her absolute progress, as well as the
absolute progress of all countries, solely depends upon unlimited freedom
to expand advantageously in this direction; and the extent of freedom
to expand with advantage in this way, may fairly be taken as the most
significant of those indices which distinguish the differing civilisations
of semi-barbarous and highly enlightened communities. In the earlier
stages of civilisation—when a given area of laud can only be made to
yield a miserable support to a scanty population—urban centres have
their ratios at a minimum. In proportion as the same area of land—
by man's increasing command over natural forces—is made to yield a
higher result, the comfort and number of the population correspond
ingly increase. The relative increase in the ratio of the urban
population is a natural consequence. To deplore, therefore, the
increasing ratios of urban centres of industry, is to deplore the higher
advance made in modern civilisation. The truth of these observations
is well attested by reference to the followingffigures.