The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-09-11

The BUBBLES OF THE DAY-PIETY, Politics
AND Srocxs.-A distinguished gentleman, recently
returned from q visit to the Northwest gives an
amusing account of the manner in which the spe.
culators in that region have managed to turn the
Kansss fever to their own account. and the result
Of which is now being felt in the swamping Of
railroad companies and the explosion of kindred
bubbles 1t is great error to suppose that the
New England States continue to deserve their
character for "smartness" Their day il past
Wooden nutmegs and Eastwood hams were well
enough some years ago; but that sort of business
at best was mere petty larceny, and utterly
beneath the dignity of rascals who Ego IL" for
their hundreds of thousands, and whose opera.
lions ruin households instead of merely giving
them indigestion. The keen fellows now live Ia
the West-men who, in point of shregdness, eau
twist an unfortunate Yankee round their fingers
and who in point of fact have done so to an almost
incredible extent In justice to the New England
States we admit that most OF the operators are
emigrants from the land Of pumpkin pies, who,
having found that paradise too circumscribed for
their genius, have sought its expansion amidst the
prairies of the West.
We have every reason to believe that thousands
Of the citizens of the New England States have
been taken in by the land and railroad compa-
mics OF Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, &c. Their stock
is found in almost every farm house-their bonds
in every village. The pla1 Of operations adopted
by the Spectators was beautifully simple, and
easy to carry out Agents were sent to the East
TO describe, in glowing colors IN, prosperity Of
the West. Chicago was an instance Of the bene-
fetal effects of railroad communication. A thou
ssnd Chicagos were in embryo, and II was
fortunate for the people Of the East that
they had thus an opportunity 10 receive
some Of the golden fruit. Then again, II was
necessary to check the progress Of the slave
holder, and this could best be done by building
railroads, and thus opening the country for set
Element The ministers, too, were told that
whilst oil this temporal prosperity existed,
there was woeful lack Of religious feeling
there we're few churches, and no dependence
upon stated preaching. Here was an ample
field; bat shepherds we're wanting Thus rail-
roads, freedom and the gospel were beautifully
mixed up, till the result was that every man who
had dollar laid by felt that be was not only
assisting humanity and religion, but lettering
himeelf BY an investment In the West" This
has been the true secret Of the Kansas fever, and
II Is easy to sec that Its collapse is necessary
and natural result, buying experience at the
expeDee of ruin to oil the dupes who have been
shrieking for freedom, and hoping, at the came
time, that II might bring in handsome divi-
dend.
II Is exceedingly doubtful IL even the present
wa1ning-scvere as II will be-will prevent .
repetition Of the same game whenever Il can be
played. II is not the first time that stated
preaching" has been lugged In to help TO bolster
up q stock speculation, and II Is expecting too
much to imagine the race Of dupes is dying out
The Kansas fever and Western railroad bubbles
simply mark another lustre in the commercial
history Of this country.