Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-11-03


states, the producing of cotton and sugar
constitutes a separate interest from that OF
New England: each ofthese interests have
grown out of natural causes rather than
artificial.
The great west, has also an interest pc
culiar to It's soil and climate, which will at
no distant day assume a formidable attitude
in national point ofview: its vast resour-
ces have but just commenced developing,
owing TO its comparative recent settlement
and sparseness Of population. The inter-
ests of the west seem destined to be the
growing Of acheat: for this purpose, nature
appears TO have more admirably designed
the west, than any other portion Of the Uni
ted States, or perhaps Of the world.
In the five states Gas they are or soon
will be) Of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
Wisconsin, and Iowa, it is computed that
there are al least enc hundred and thirty
thousand square miles OF land, adapted by
nature to the growing Of wheat. This
whole region is now in progress of being
settled by an enterprising, active, and in
dustrious people-a people whose wants
! will be as numerous as any other; and
whose necessities must be supplied by the
laws trade upon principles ofIoss or gain.
AS wheat growing country, the west has
bat just begun to be known in the markets
of the cast, and is as yet entirely unknown
in the general markets Of Europe. Indeed
it is not three years since extensive portions
Of it, were importing wheat for its own con-
sumption. Now, in the state Of Michigan
alone, moro than 100000 bushels Of
whea: were raised the past year; and this
quantity will continue to increase from
year to year, as the vacant lands become
settled and improved. The increase will
hereafter be inconceivaby more rapid in
| Michigan, northern Indiana, Illinois, Wis
consin, and Iowa, which are now actively
getting in readiness TO send wheat abroad.
Who can estimate the millions on mill
lions of bushels Of wheat, which will be
raised for market in these states and terri
tories daring the next five years, allowing
improvements in the west to proceed with
the same ratio they have hitherto done?
| Who can divine where this immense pro-
| spective crop will find q market? Will it
be needed in the commercial cities and ma
nufacturing states Of the cast? VIII it b
required to supply the wants Of the cote n
| growing states Of the south? II our com
mercial relations with Europe remain as
they now arc, it is certain that the wants
of both the east and the south will not re-
quire half Of the surplus wheat which will
be raised during the next five years in the
west; provided the seasons admit an aver.
age crop. What then can the west do with
its wheat? Have we any prospect Of q
market in Europe? Our foreign msrke.
depends chiefly onthe contingency of peace
or war. The chances stand at least in the
proportion Of five to one, that there will be
no war, between any of the European pow
ers during the next five years, viii will
In any degree affect the value Of Ameri-
can agricultural products. And so long rs
| Europe remains at peace, we cannot eX-
pect foreign markets to any extent. The
oppressive tendency of the British corn
laws, altogether preclude our surplus
grains from finding an advantageous mar
ket in Great Britain, except in cases Of
emergency. Indeed, the individual who
calculates upon foreign market for Am
erican wheat, draws his conclusions with
out justfabIc evidence. The amount of
wheat and -four which has been shipped TO
Europe in past years, has been merely
nominal: even during the last year, which
far exceeded the amount Of any previous
year; the amount shipped to Europe was
not equal to the quantity raised in one
county in western New York; 1t is idle
then 10 talk Of foreign markets, and base
our future calculations upon such contin-
gency.
From this view of the subject, it must be apparent
that an important crisis will approach. in rela
ton TO the interests of the west the result of which
it is impossible to predict with certainty. The Uni
ted States and Territories, as we have before re-
marked, divided into three principal branches Of
productive industry, viz the cotton, the manufaciu
ring, and the grain growing these three are the pr
mary, TO which all others are mostly connecied-
| These several branches, have each a general oca-
| ty assigned them; and each is capable of supplying
the wants of the others, without the aid of foreign
mporto,ions. The west, is able to supply the whole