The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-02-22
THE GREAT EST.

Tue HSdik u the " est LaWEh6bo q AtuuituS
thought Of the greatness Of the Republic.
The West is the Empire, fact unacknow
ledged at the East, because the East knows
not the West. But an impartial Traveller
soon perceives that the East is not the
country. New York and New England
are but the thumb aud forefiDger; the
West is the rest of the hand.
A Western visit in summer is the best
for seeing the country 10 winter, best for
seeing the people And are they not the
heartiest, triendliest, most hospitable Of
the human race? What a "Sco!ch well
come" may be, we know not: bat if bet
ter than a Western welcome, it is better
than plain man deserves, Jostle
Westerner in the street, and at once you
are acquaintances; meet him the next
day, aud you are old friends. 4 shake OF
the hand in the West has more grip 10 il
han between New York and Bangor.
Child Of the East, the West is the chief
crown of the parent. The universal New
England element westward is not only
the best part of the West, hut the best
part of New England: for only the cour
ageous, the energetic, and the conquering
have had the will to quit Eastern homes
ior Western prairies Thus the early
Pilgrims to New England have their tru
EST sons in the later Pilgrims from New
El gland a Yankee, therefore does not
come to his fullest stature IN Iankeeland
he grown Yankee is the westerner AT
the East lie is q geranium in a pot, thrIf.
" and prlm at the West, gerauium iu
garden, where he grows rank, exuber
ant, and generous. New countries greater
mems souls
Does the West seek herSdio sign ?
Let it chose shock Of corn. 0 bouute,
Gus land ofsmall houses and big barns
So fertile is the Great Valley that. as Jer
rod said Of Australia, "Only tickle the
earth with a hoe, and she laughs with
harvest y Thongh peateG down from their
tull height BY snow, corn stalks are yet
landing in January SO high thai one rid
ing among them on tall horse, and ris
,ug in the stirGps, cannot touch the tops.
The praries-commou place, sad, and sup
iilne-are the garden OF the world May
hey ever make farmers rich, and cattle
Eat
Trade, the maker Of cities, has amphi5i,
GUS opportunities in the West The Miss.
issippi and its. tributaries yield forty eight
thousand miles Of waters angered byselm
boat wheels-,a channel Of navigation long
enough to twice eird the globe Already
the great lakes are partners with the At
lantc in direct trade with Europe. The
railroads are wearing out their tracks witt
hard work, aud paying state.dobts with
their profits. Chicago counts 250 trains
coming and going daily at her dcpots, and
says to New Yorker, Sir, you have NOT
half so. many y And New Yorker
must say to this wondrous water.lily OF
Lake Michigan, "All hail Chicago ,-ba
zsar of the West. and miracle Of cities!
The daily press OF New York scatters
its leaves very thinly through the West
Mr. Greeleyo Weekly, 7rijune goes eve
rywhere, bnt the metropolitan dailies set
westward only to meet the counter current
of the Cincinnati press, chiefly The Com
merctaE and Gazette which, in turn
cover the country as the water does the
sea, till they meet the widespread Chicago
Tribune; which, in like manner divides
the Southwest with the St Louis RepRii
can aud the Missouri Democrat. All
these journals are able and influential
growing rich faster than their brethren in
New York. The great influence which
the New york press undoubtedly exerts
upon the whole country is, IN the West
an influence not directly upon the people
but upon the journals. But even this
influence is diminishing, not Increasing
New York perhaps will always remain the
of the Union but it can neg.
er become like Paris TO France.
Western churches, Sunday.schools
and day.schools thrive ike saplings. An
Eeastern man, hearing habitnally OF West
ern churches as being strong And yet
many, Ike young lions shake their locks
TOT very streb2ta II CtLoulS, on a
single Sunday, We saw two church, debts
killed, each at stroke-a methodist
church paying $4,000, and a Presbyto
rian $4,000. Perhaps no other city can
ceIed S45, 600 of church debt on that dav.
The largest Sunday school in America
Judged by attendance, not the rol! list
is west OF the Mississippi-founded BY
Brig Gen. Fisk, who equally we'll com
mands an army, administers department
or conducts chiidren's meeting. InI
Chicago, a mission school originated in
railroad car, is now larger than any in
New York. Aud the largest depository
Of Sunday school books is neither in Phil
adeIphia nor New York but Chicago -
Of two millions Of population in Illinois,