Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-08-17
Charles City, Iowa, Aug. II, 1865.
The Course Of Empire.

Tho Course Of Empire.
A pamphlet has recently been issue,
BY DR.. William Elder of the Treasur,
Department, ON the question, How
the Western States can become th,
imperial power in the Union" DR.
Elders answer,-well reasoned ant
sustained by the amplest statistical
evidence, like most that appears from
his penis, that to secure empire the
Western States must aim at industri.
al independence they must fcste,
their manufactures, depend upon tho
home market and not the foreign, iii.
versify their pursuits, and in short do
almost everything that the modern
school of free trade advises them not
to do. Ho remarks upon the insight.
ficance Of the foreign demand for their
exports as compared with the domes-
tic, shows how remarkable has been
their gain in some interests fostered
BY the enforced protective system of
the last four years. and points out
some warnings which they have al
ready received, as to an exclusive de-
pendence upon agricultural pursuits.
But some people, we suspect, will
shrink a little at DR.. Elders sug-
gestion that the West is to be an I" i'm.
perial power in the Union" II is not
easy for all to reconcile themselves to
the thought. that empire is not to
have it's seat near the Atlantic, how
ever we may christen our States and
however we may fatter ourselves as
to their strength and prosperity. The
marvellous growth of the West is the
object Of admiration and rejoicing, as
one among the many marvels of
which we are fond of boasting but,
naturally enough, there is little re-
luctance on the part of our Eastern
neighbors to face the fact as DIR. Ell
der puts it,--that by judicious i'm
provemcnt of it's advantages the West
may make itself the seat OF imperial
power, may secure paramount inau-
ence, superior numbers and wealth,
and 50 control tho destinies of the
great nation of the future. ..r..
This idea, however, is not one
which need be at all repulsive in
any respect, and least of all need
it be SO to New England men. The
West, as DR.. Elder understands it,
comprises the States lying on the
valleys of the Ohio, Missouri and
Upper Mississippi,-that is. Ohio, In
diana. Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky,
Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minneso-
ia, Kansas and Nebraska. This body
of States is the very heart Of the Un-
ion they contain already one.third
Of our population, and their resources
are so rich and varied that we may
properly look for great increase Of
this ratio. Indeed, if we consider
their capabilities, they seem to have
been marked out by nature for the
chief seat Of the strength and wealth
of our country. when 1t shall begin to
approach its full development.
II anybody is narrow enough to dis
like the prospect of a ful6lment Of the
destiny which thus seems to be set
before this magnificent region, the
New Englander should not shrink
from It. at any rate but, recalling
the part which New England has had
in building up these States, should
feel genuine pride in their maturing
strength. According to the last cen.
sus, of the natives of New England
then living in the United States, $780,.
s36 had left the New England States,
and of these 2SS, 1888 were resident oi
the eleven States and territories com
prised in DR.. Elders West" Tha,
10 to say, one-half of New England
men who have emigrated. in spite Of
the attractions Of gold mining and
every other inducement held out else
where, have come into this central
block of States and in fact, nearly
as many have come hither from New
England States as the latter have Civ
en- to each other.
| We have yet to see any sufficient
argument for the notion sometimes
maintained, that the full development
of the West will tend to the injury o
the industrial enterprises Of the East
The foundations Of the prosperity 0
the East We trust, are not 30 marrow
that full employment for labor an,
capital there 10 only to be insured b,
keeping idle the resources Of any 9th
or section. 1t 10 forgotten by mel
who entertain this idea, that although
. tesming population should improv,
every mill site in the West, it will iu
crease its wants in proportion ~ j
extends its industry. The busy ope
ratives whom the West will emplo,
when it properly improves its resour
ces, will not only be 30 many thou