The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-08-01
Memphis COMMUNICATIONS 10 tho PEG.
pic Of the WcsI md South Wcas.

ne coHiWiuee appointed 10 consider
and report what action should be taken, OF
what means should be adopted by ,hi:
convention to present before the country
and secure. in future, the great interests o.
the West and South. felt constrained lc
pause a, the threshold of the labors and
duties before them to survey the brief, pas
history Of the West, and lis present con.
diion.
Less than half a century ago. and with.
in the recollection of many that are now
living, the Mississippi valley was almos,
an uninterrupted wilderness. Few and
lar more remote from each other were the
spots then, which marked the dwelling
place of the white man, and betokened the
useful works of art, and the benefits and
blessings of civilization.
But little more than quarter Of a cen
fury since. trip from Louisville or Gin.
cinnali to New Orleans, in keel boat,
was preceded by all the ceremonies and
business preparations incident to a three
or four months voyage, involving great
uncertainty of ever returning.
What is the present condition of this
great valley :
This convention is now assembled and
transac,lng business in Memphis, surroun-
dod by population of 8 to 10000 people
on this bluff, which, but few ears
since, was only known as the site Of an
old Fort. Here we now behold daily, and
sometimes hourly, passing up and down
the great Mississippi river, instead Of The
dimlnulive keel and fiat boats of former
years, the present floating palaces propel.
led by steam, performing their trips from
port to port in but few more days than
the number Of months once required. The
speed and tonnage of The TO 500 steam
ers, together with the vas, number of fiat
boats now in use upon the western waters,
afford some idea Of the present amount OF
the products-the commerce and the po.
puatlon Of the west.
Without enumerating, therefore, the
popuious cities. or particular reference to
the general Improvements and settlements
of this section of country, for the impress
sion and effect they would necessarily
produce, we have deemed it proper to Ie-
fer TO the leading statistical data, furnished
by the las, census, 10 show The compare
tive amount Of population, products. and
commerce-lheir increase. &c., in that
portion Of the United States bordering on
the Atlantic, and tha, forming the Missis-
sippi valley.
The last census showed the population
of the eastern portion of the United States.
which we call the Atlantic strip, to be g.
627 800, and the population Of the Miss
issippi valley TO be s,434,759, giving the
former IL and the la,er'lll members of
Congress. In the last so years the At
lanuc strip is estimated 10 have increased
in population about 76 per cent. In 10
years, from 1890 to 1910, the Mississip-
pi valley increased abou, 80 per cent.
With this disparity in the ratio increase.
in 1850 the population of the Mississippi
valley will probably be abou, | $4,000, 900,
and the population of the Atlantic strip
will be about 10000 900. and the number
of representatives in Congress from the
Mississippi valley will be TO those of the
Atlantic strip in The proportion of Is to
10.
The whole products of the Mississippi
valley in 1910 were estimated at, S754,,
095,929 the products of the Atlantic
strip at 1897 1893 ,776, since then the dis
parity Of the increase has turned the scale
decidedly in favor of the Mississippi val
ley.
In Mr.. Barrow's report, made in the
Senate Of the United States. in February,
lS43, the downward trade on the Missis-
sipi river is estimated at $3.50, zoo, 900
the upward trade at 500 600, 200, making
$500 100000, only 30,oOO,O00 less
than the whole export and import trade OF
the United States.
The Secretary OF the Navy IL his re-
port, made in 1913, shows that the s,als-
tics of the country prove, beyond doubt,
that more than two.thirds OF the exports
from the United States are produced in
the Mississippi valley.
This immense valley. changed in about
so years from savage wilderness TO be
now the chief source of the productions
for the foreign export trade of the United
Stales--having but one great southern EN-.
porlum-havlng but one natural Quite, for
its outward and inward trade-having a
common interest in the improvement Of
lis great thoroughlares for transportation,
and the defence Of its outlet to the broad
sea--having just claim 10 participate in
the Naval employment her large export
trade affords, and.especially in those Ma
val preparations and means necessary for
her demonstrating the sceptre OF power
if her numerical strength was now repre-
senied, her people all tied together b,