Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-10-17

- In eubordination to theis will, and
subssrvisnt to their interests, they trest
them with condsscsnding kindness,
sueh = tho master may indulge in 70
Nh dave; but the moment that their
subordinasss begin to show signs OF
prosperity likely to lead TO indePsnd'
sses and equality, they 1t once mani.
lsst symptoms Of = rabid, d'ctasof'sl
end ovsrbearing spirit.
Such 10 the present position OF 81
Louis towards the cities Of Iowa, bor-
dsring upon the Missiassippi River,
and especially towards the city OF Da'
venport. When there were no Rail-
roads from the East, terminating at
the River, the whole Of the rich and
productive region bordering upon the
river to the Fall of St. Anthony was
tributary to the trade of St. Louis
msrchants, and poured into that city
the immense annual wealth Of four
Aourishing States, the river was the
only highway for our commerce, and
St. Louis its depot. Al lsoon - the
Chicago 4 Rock leland X. X. was IN
der contract, and long before it reach
ed Rock Island, the business men Of
St Louis began their outcries, and con-
cocted their schemes to prevent this
bold intrusion upon their vested ghts.
Rvery new line Of Railroad across
Illinois to the Mississippi river, was a
new agony and added new tortues to
st. Louis. Each new railroad tapped
and diverted large portion Of the
river trade Eastward. And when our
railroad bridge was thrown across the
river at this point, one joint howl OF
despair went up from St. Louis. She
saw that it would cut loose from her
mercantile control the entire central
and oil the Northern portion Of Iowa,
~ we'll a. Minnesota and Western
Wisco nsin. This WAS inevitable un-
dor the laws Of trade. Before rail-
roads were constructed trade followed
tho lines Of rivcfs, now it follows the
lines Of railroads.
st. Louis saw that when tho entire
freight Of Iowa could cross this great
river without breaking bulk, that from
thenceforth grain, flour, live stock
farming products, would cease to flow
down the river. Tho heavy tax upon
the transhipment OF freight is now
avoided,
But what St. Louis most fears il
that city will be built mp, along the
river. in some favored locality, thai
will become q successful rival Of St
Louis. This would be more fatal te
her than the building Of railroads OF
bridges over the river. This she
knows and this she fears. The build
ing Of the bridge here, together with
tho rapid and splendid growth Of Da'
venport since 1854 from 1900 in
habitants, to 10000 in 1858, hat
startled st. Louis, and she sees that il
our prosperity continues, with a large
and aoeushiug city across lin Rock
Island, her own dominion as CONNER
cial emporium, must ultimately cease,
and Davenport become tho Queen Of
the M'sssippi Valley.
Nor are her fears aud her jealousles
entirely grouudless. We must remem.
bsr that Davenport is in the FOUR
CORNERS Of Western commercial high
ways. She is not only favorably loca-
ted upon the longest navigable river
in the World, but she is crossed by
the great Atlantic and Pacific railroad
from New York to the Western Ocean
without break in the line, by reason
Of tho link which the bridge at this
place provides.
So determined have the mer chants
Of ST. Louis become, that they have
employed miserable wretch to man
ufacture testimony and endeavor te
give direction to the editorials of coun
try journals, whereby to break dowr
the bridge, and in some way put al
end to tho rapidity Of our growth. II,
has succeeded, either by money o.
worse means, in drawing into his in
terests the journals Of Rock island
How the people Of that city can be 81
blind to their own interests We ar
unable to determine, for that wh,cl
contributes to the prosperity Of Daven
port, will also add to the prosperity .
Rock Island.
The twin cities have a common in
terest and common prosperity. Wha
Injuries one effects the other. II Ds
venport becomes a focus Of Railroad,
how can Rock Island escape the gcneI
a benefit! If Davenport shall, as sh
surely will, reach population Of 100
900, will not Rock Island be to u
what Brooklyn is to New York; Tn
uoople of this county have taken ster