Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-01-12

ly to the Governor, and also to the Gen.
eral Assembly at each regular session,
upon any discrepancies in the general
| statutes and code of procedure. These
duties should be made imperative, and
compensation provided. This is not
now the case, and as q consequence nc
report of Commissioners of Legal In
quiry has ever been submitted. The
trust is one of such delicacy and respon.
sibility, that it would be appropriate to
confer it upon those who hold the high
est judicial position in the State. In
this way we will be gradually enabled
to systematize and perfect our laws and
code OF practice, civil and criminal, al
the same time that We raise the pay OF
the Supreme Bench by constitutional
means to something near n proper COM
pensatory standard.
RAILROADS.
Unsuccessful development of the vast
resources of this State, and it's conse-
quent prosperity and wealth, are largely
dependent upon the facilities offered by
railway communication. To encourage
and foster our railroad enterprises by
every feasible means, is manifestly the
part of wisdom. The financial disorders
through which the country has passed
the progress Of these enterprises in Iowa.
Largely dependent for aid upon foreign
capital, which is proverbially timid in
regard to mode of Investment, the diff
culties incident to the construction OF
railroads through this State will be
readily appreciated. All the railroads
leading from the Mississippi River,
with but one exception, have made an
extension of their lines since your last
session. New lines running from Mis-
souri, northerly through this state are
now projected, and at least one of them
is already in process of construction
The Importance of a railway connection
with st. Louis by which the products
of the Des Moines, Iowa and Cedar VAL
lcys will find a cheaper and reader exit
to market, than eastern lines are able to
afford, is being duly comprehended in
enterprising and Intelligent commercial
circles. Experience has already suffi-
GENTLY demonstrated the incapacity of
existing lines of railroads for conveying
our immense agricultural productions
to the eastern markets. Aud it is also
equally clear that whatever may be the
capacity of these eastern lines, their
immoderate thirst for mOnopoliZing the
avenues of transportation, and their en-
orbitant charges for carrying stock and
grain, render them formidable enemies
to our agricultural prosperity. For this,
the only permanent remedy Is the es-
Enlistment of competing lines. In
this question the farmers of Iowa are
deeply interested, and the time for
prompt and decided measures upon
their part has arrived. The projected
railway connecting us directly with St.
Louis, and by this means afIording us
the advantage OF navigation to the
ocean at all seasons, in spite of low wa
ter in summer and ice in winter, must
be admitted as commercial and agri-
cultural necessity. Such road leading
up the Cedar Valley, and to st. Paul,
would also bring us IN more direct and
certain connection with the pine regions
of the North, enabling our rapidly in
crcasing demands for lumber to be
more readily and cheaply supplied.
But it is not to the East alone that we
should look for our future commercial
relations. Iowa occupies central posi-
ton, pivotal point, between the At
lantic and Pacific coasts. The noun
tains and the unproductive regions OF
the West must ultimately look to this
State for large portion of their agri-
cultural supplies, while the Pacific
States offer powerful induccment to our
commercial enterprise. These vital
considerations must not be disregarded.
Every rational calculation for the fu-
turc urges the great Importance of inn
mcdiatcly seizing the opportunities now
offered of securing these natural and
invaluable tributaries to our commerce.
Isit not of the highest importance, there
fore, that we take immediate steps to
secure the extension of the Union
Branch of the Pacific Railroad through
this State? The General Government
has already given aid to the construc-
ton of one branch of this road through
Kansas, and it is certainly not too much
to expect that Congress would be equal
ly generous towards this State. This
road must inevitably become one of the
important military lines of the Govern.
ment, as intelligent statesmen will not
fail to percei&. But space will not per.
NIT me to discuss the importance oil
this enterprise at greater length. /
therefore, most earnestly recommend
that you address joint memorial tC
Congress asking the proper aid. for ex.
tending this road from its terminus OH
the Missouri River to some practicable
point on the Des MOines where it can be
united with one of the lines running
eastward from that point.
MILITARY.
Without extending this communica
ton much beyond the proper limits, il
will be quite impossible to present even
a generaloutline ofour military history
The faithful services rendered during
the late war by the troops from thi,
State and their admirable conduct up
on all occasions have furnished themes
IN an hnv mi, Ill:
ty and heroism have been often and APP.
propriately acknowledged by the dis
tinguished generals under whom they
served. 1t WAS their fortune to hav,
borne q conspicuous part i'm all the re.
nowned campaigns of the Western di
vision OF the army, bravely participat.
ing in its bloodiest and most decisive
engagements. When the history OF
this great conflict shall have been fully
and impartially written, 1t will contain
no brighter pages than those upon
which the achievements of Iowa soldiers
are recorded. A State which before thu
war was scarcely known except rs 6
patch upon the map of the Republic
to-day has q name calculated to excite
becoming emotions in every manly and
patriotic breast. But the evidences OF
sorrow yet visible on every hand re.
mlnd us That this good name has been
earned at a fearful cost. Some of the
brightest names which adorns the an.
mails of the war are ours and citizens
of Iowa are numbered among the no.
blest of the fallen heroes.
Our average population during the
war has not exceeded 100000 and of this
we have furnished one ninth to the ma.
tional armies. The aggregate of the
quotas assigned to this State, under all
calls for the war since the first regi.
ment was organized, being reckoned al
their equivalents in three years. men
amount to 20, S25, and the number claim.
ed by us to have been furnished upon
these quotas is 70, 24O. Not included in
this statement are the First Regiment
of infantry, 962 men, furnished unde,
the three months cal. ca Go april, 1861, l:
two years recruits, 1853 one year re-
cruits and 1857 one hundred days men
which last were volunteer offering by
the State, and independent of all calls
making total aggregate of rs, O59 men
These figures are not strictly accurate
but are as nearly SO as they can be mad.
from the data at our command. On &C
80