Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-09-24
DAVENPORT. SEPTEMBER "A. 1876 2
The est 4.

The West.
We copy the following extract from .
Communication which appears il the
Schenectady Star. The writer 10 gen.
tlemsn Of large business sxpsrisnee, .
OF property, and one Who has travelled
extensively both ss the Fest and Wet !:
But whst . contrast to . Wesssrp
man, between the still and quiet move
mcn.s Of the MoLavk Valley and the
hustle OF the mighty West. There 10
congregsted the fast blood Of the East,
eqnslized, submilissed end refined by
the gorgeous scenery Of their vast lake.,
their noble rivers, and their magn.6c
prsiries.
There the pulse beats quicker, tho
blood fows free, the whole being 10 ar
oused 10 new energy Of purpose, to .
wider, and also more enlarged ambition
Notwithstanding the croakings Of
some Of tho fogy journsls Of tho East,
that immense speculation in lands and
town property 10 the West will prove
DISASTROUS and end in ruin, bsnkruptcy
and famine-such 10 far from being .
correct opinion.
Look at Rockford. Freepoft, Beloit
and Jsnesviils. Look ct the towns on
either bank Of the Mississippi-Dsven.
port, Rock Island, Lyons and the young
city OF Clinton, which two years ago wss
a corn field. Look ss Dubuque, Winons,
La Crosse, st Paul and McGrsgor, where
the writer hss seen more than fifty losds
OF wheat standing at . time, waiting
their shipment down the mighty fsther
OF waters TO st. Louis, and . good mar.
ket.
Look at tho county Of Clayton, Iowa,
that friOges the western bsnk Of the
Mississippi, and Winneshick and Fey
ette, stlll further West; there can DO
seen rich agricultural scenery unequal
led east Ut tho Lakes, strsight roads. nice
houses, and fields OF gram containing
from forty to two hundred acres, With
farmers whom on tho first OF March last
were holding their two to ten thousand
bushels Of wheat each, raised on lands
that were entered three years ago, at
government price, 81 ,25 per acre, and
last year, thatwith ono piowing, brought
TO them thirty'six bushels TO the acre,
which within tho last four weeks, sold
at 81 10 per bushel
II this is ruinous speculation, we'll
can tho farmers OF Schenectady and old
Saratoga afford to DO ruined.
Tho assertion OF some Of the Eastern
journals, that "the speculative mania |
which now curses tho West, carries With
It neglect Of agriculture" 10 evidently
mistake.
Whonce csme the surplus twenty mil.
lion bushels Of wheat shipped to Europe
from the crop Of 1856? Who raised
tho corn to fatten tho thousands OF tons
OF pork, that were packed at the various
points 10 the Northwest last fall Where
do the cattlecome from, to supply the
thousand head that 10 reported weekly
IN the New York Market. as Illinois and
Iowa cattle ii that department of sgri.
culture Is neglected % reported.
Food 10 dear, We admit. but notscarce, |
anu It arises from . variety Of causes;
the general appreciation Of values the |
world over; the equalization tendency Of
Railroads, aud tho immense migratory
movement now passing 10 the West and |
Northwest, which will not DO less than . |
million this year from Europe and the
East, ell three disturb the equilibrium
between production and consumption,
which will soon regulate itself.
Live stock, wo admit, 10 the South.
west, has suffered more or less in conse-
que0ce OF the unusually severe and pro.
tracted winter, which has csused very
large consumption Of corn and oats.
The aggregate grain crop Of Illinois
alone last year it is said, was estimated
at 200 ,00O, 900 Of bushels, which, with,
the exception Of corn, il nothing hap.
pens to the crop, will be increased ct
least % per cent. tho present year.
The high price now prevailing ingram,
10 no doubt owing 10 part to the gambl- |
ing in breadstnffs in Chicago, which |
probably equals that Of stock in New
York. "One party sells to another 100,
600 bushels more or less Of corn or
wheat, to be delivered at stipulated
time and price, as agreed upon per con-
tract, he does not own, or expect, or de.
sire, to own bushel Of grain 90 con.
tracted but when the contract natures,
if prices have advanced, DO pays tho
difference to the buyer. il prices have
declined, the buyer pays the seller the
difference
The bulls and bears 10 the Chicago
grain market have become as noted, and
are playing OF bold and reckless % their
neighbor ever did in Wall Street.
At the commencement OF the present
century, the Eastern States, including
New England and New York, had pop.
ulation Of 100000 inhabitants, while
all that vast territory now composing
the Northwestern States had but 5 900; |
now by . fair computation We outnum.
Der them moro than million.
But il we are truo to ourselves and |
our high destiny, what prophetic eye can
discern, or tongue tell, how many mil
lions and tens OF millions Of freemsn,
will occupy tho fair fields and broad
savannahs OF the father Of waters and
his tributaries at the commencement OF
the next century, ~ Westward the
Star Of empire wends lis way"
Then Chicago the proud queen city OF
the lakes, will sit enthroned in splendor
the centre Of the money circle Of this
continent, and draw her subsistence
from the ten thousand fertilizing streams
and distribute her wealth and her luxur.
ics to an empire such a. tho Sun never
before shonc upon.