The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-10-01
WEDNESDAY,, SEPTEMBER %, 1851
Alarmed for their Safety.

1t has been matter of no little surprise t.
the people of the West for some time back, thai
as enlightened and cnterprising community as
that of st. Louis should have been long in
discovering that their main dependence for busi-
ness was upon the Upper Mississippi; that,
without putting forth proper efforts, they could
not exp,ct to retain that business; and that
the Yves. would not be endured for any great
length of time.
t For the last eight or ten years, the capital of
the East has been directed to the introduction OF
a system of internal improvements, designed to
! Encompass with an iron band the vast trade of
the West. Steadily and surely Has this object
been pursued, until the major portion of the dis
tance between the Atlantic at New York and
Boston and the Upper Mississippi is now ira
veled by railroad and, its confidently believed,
in three years, that people will get aboard of the
at this point, and never leave them till they
reach the great metropolis of the country.
While this scheme for sappng the trade of the
West, and stealing march upon the South, has
been progressing, the people of the South have
enjoyed season of quiet, apparently unc on
scious of plan for drawing their very life
blood from them
But, within the last six months they seem to
have discovered that they had not life-lease of
the Upper Mississippi trade, and that unless they
put forth vigorous Efforts, they were in fair
way to lose this trade. This has called forth
the agitation of Southern and Western Rail
road Convention, and one for mcmorializ:ne
Congress to appropriate moneys for improving
the rapids of the Upper Mississippi.
How far these schemes, if carried out, viii be
able to overcome the inroads which the Eastern
Railroads connecting with the Mississippi will
make upon the trade of the South fscm tLc
West, we unable to say. One thing is ccr-
tain the people of the South have slumbcrcd
entirely too long-they hive suffered shrcwd,
insidious commercial foe to steal into their
camp, and rob them of their treasure for it
of these Southern schemes can be matured and
carried out, the Illinois Central Railroad will
have been completed, the iron horse slaking his
hrst at the different points on the Mississippi,
he merchandise Of the East finding its way b.
.iilroad to the West, and the produce of The
West finding an Eastern market by the same
ine Of communication. This trade, once con-
,entrated in an Eastern direction, and it will be
10 easy matter to divert its course. Nothing !.
,ut less expensive transit to market equally :
Is good, viii do it. i
But it is not the duty Of Southern business !
men to forego all efforts to reclaim this trade
They should agitate these Conventions, unite !
heir whole energies in adopting and carrying i
'ut that system Of improvements which will
nave tendency to speedily reclaim this trade
thorough and complete Improvement Of the 4
Rapids, will form one of the strongest attrac- d
ions to the accomplishment or this object. 1t
5 more than likely that much of the heavy :
reight would better bear transportation South Q
han East. They are right, then, in calling for c
IN improvement Of the Rapids; and they should
,ever cease this agitation, until the distractions
o the navigation Of the Upper Mississippi are q
completely removed Iowa, illinois, Wisconsin
nd Minnesota will lend helping hand, and !.
he sooner some action is taken the better | -
Delays are dangerous. Let one united and Il
'igorous effort be put forth for the accomplish Q
nent Of this object This done, and the i'm ! :,
rovement is obtained for the government,
annot resist such power as would be concen. |,
rated, by location and interest, in its favor
Upon this question, we are with the " Bur- =
lngton Telegraph, our strong prediction 70 $
he Prica;e ,eatks Of Dubuque 10 the contrary t.