The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-11-24

One of the numerous mistakes made BY
the South, when counting the chances of .
successful secession from the Union, was
that it would be joined by the West. Nature,
il was argued, had united the West and
Southwest by means of the Mississippi and its
tributaries, and had placed barrier between
the East and West in the Allegheny Noun
tains. The fertile fields of the West, reason
ed the Southern leaders Of rebellion, would
no, absndon their natural highway to the
ocean. for the sake of preserving the insult
cient channels of communication across and
around the Pennsylvania mountains The
South reasoned rightly, but did net see the
full effect Of their own argument. The West
retained the free use of the Mississippi, not
by following the South out of the Union, but
by compelling the South TO stay in it. At the
first sound of war the West took the field in
defense OF the Union, and no country and
20 period exhibited greater enthusiasm. dar-
ing, and successful lighting than that of the
men Of the West against the hosts of rebel
hon.
When the struggle grew 6ercest, and the
pressure for men and money was greatest,
the West. il was confidently predicted,
would resist the CONSUMPTION, and refuse to
paw the heavy taxes demanded. Ii rendered
the conscripton AT but unnecessary BY prompt
volunteering, and not only paid the taxes
cheerfaly. but contributed lavishly in other
wavs to support the Government ard aid our
armies In the recent elections il was conf
IDENTITY hoped by the late rebels and their
friends at the North. that the West would
protest against the action of the ruling party
In Congress, that it would shake of Eastern
domination, and assert its independence of
thought and action. 1t was expected to
range itself alongside of the South. and re-
turn heavy conservative majorities. and
thus rebuke and check Eastern ,radicAlism. -
But if to stand firmly by that party that up
held the Government; in its bitterest hour of
trial, and which brought the nation safely
through the war, is to be radical. the
s.radicalisrn' of the West outstrips that of
the East and the more Western in geogrsph-
ical location the more Eastern in political
sentiment, accepting the Southern view OF
the synomy Of Eastern with staunch Re-
pabhcanism. The unbroken phalanx Of Re
publican members returned to Congress from
the West, and the heavy majorities piled up.
show there is no hope of dividing the North
on the political question now before the M
ton.
Experience, it is said. teaches fools, but
there are some who are unable to profit even
by the teachings Of such . practical tutor.
The South. disappointed 20 often II It's prog
nosticatious OF rupture between the East
and the West, is again in hopes Of such m
event. growing out Of the difference of opin-
ion on the tariff 1t is confident that the ~
ricuiturai West viii not long be led captive u
the chariot wheels Of the manufacturing East,
and the copperhesd allies of these Southern
hopers against hope are doing their best to
stir up the Nest to mutiny.
But the tariff question is not \ sectional
one. There are two sides to the question in
the West, and m the Republican ranks in the
West II the East and West are to be divid-
ed on the basis of manufactures and agricul
tare. where shall the division take placer The
manufacturing East has crossed the Ale
ghenies, taken the State Of Ohio in ifs en-
brace, is firmly planted in the lower part Of
Michigan, has reached Chicago in one direc>
ton, and ST. Louis in the other, and il rapid
" pnshing its way towards the setting sun.
Manufactures Of all kinds are springiBg up
in the smallest towns, rs well as the large
cities in the West, and every new factory in
: the Wes; is an additional rivet in the bond of
union between the West and the East The
day is past when the workshops Of the Union
lay east OF the Alleghenies, and the corn
fields west OF that mountain chain. The corn
fields remain, but above the sea Of tasseied
ears can now be seen, in every direction, the
smoke Of the foundry and the mill, and the
sound Of the farmers dinner horn i echoed
By the clang Of the factory bell.