Freeman's champion., 1858-09-16
.Kansas.-lts Progress and Prospects

But four wears have elapsed since
the living stream OF emigration cross
ed the turbid Missouri, aud began to
spread over the green prairies OF Kan
zas.
While a great change has taken
ulace in the condition OF the country,
by the transition from an inhabited
region to that of civilized AMI -four
iJ6ing country, great revolutions
have also taken place in the opinions
concerning the portion OF the great
vest" bstween Missouri and the
Rocky Mountains. The pioneers OF
KsnslS have long since exploded the
theory, that the country which we
now behold "blossoming as the rose, y
was a wild waste, unfit for the habl-
tation Of the white IN IN aud incapable
Of contributing to his wants As civ
iliz,d being. Indeed, but FEW years
ago this opinion gen rally prevailed
IL was alvan,e aud sustained by
learned travellers and explorers, and
backed by such authority, 1t gradual
Ily gained credence, until the exist
once of the &" Great American Desert
was about a. authentlcall y established
a. that of " Arabia" Bat the ilu-
sion has now vanished AMI here W.
stand as Territory, possessing the
elements of wealthy and prosper
GUS State. No long and arid wastes
stretch themselves in illimitable ex-
tent, aad present impassablc barriers
to our march but instead, we have
found green AMI fertile prairies, and
well watered and fruitful plains. A
country teejming in its resources to
supply our wants, and generously Of
iering the blessings and pleasures o
life to the weary EN- grant, who has
turned his face toward the setting
sun, in the hope to find a home fol
the days of his old age, and an abid
ing place for his poSteit ity. lnsteaC
oil encountering a rugged and frown
ing wilderness, we discover before III
a broad and beautiful expanse oI
blooming nature" inviting us on
ward and onward to where the snow
covered peaks cast their shadows up
'on the plains below.
The progress of Kanzas has beer
'AstouishinyIy great. In no other pc
,riod OF our western progress has th'
stream Of emigration, bearing upol
its living bosom the blessings an(
the glories Of American civilization,
swept over the like expanSe Of wilder
ness in the same short time. WheI
the barriers which stopped the prog
ross Of the living stream were remov
ed, the long confined mass OF human
ity precipitated itself unchecked up
on the promised lanl. The Strean
has poured in unliminished and un
turned, and after the lapse OF fou
years we can look around Us and be
hold the mighty AMI astonishing OF
fects. A scopa OF country two hund
red miles long and one hundred wild
has become lensely populated, FloW
fishing towns AMI cities have prdnt
up as il by enIhantm9nt, and now do
odrpr,irlss and oestul our valleys al
most without number, Every town
ship can claim itS mill and either ma
chinery, AMI boast Of ltS lArye an
well cultivated farms. The churc
,Anl tho school house are lifting thei
white spires throughout the land, des
sominating knowledge and teachin
morality.
W. possess tho elements Of groo
people AMI a great State.
Vurminor resources are vast, an
only need development in order t
build up within our borders lazy
manufacturing towas anil cities.
AS an agricultural An | grain
State, we must ia time rank the hiyu
cat in the Union. l
We have greater facilities for th
construction OF railroads than an
other State or Territory. The geael
al level Of the country, the capabi
ity of sustaining . dense population
and our central posi- ion In rslstio
to the great marts Of commerce y
point TO our destiny as a great raj
road State. M
Such 10 Kansas. But what Of ht
future =?
if (eur ceptral position botwetA II