Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-01-10
CEDAR. FALLS. FRIDAY, @r
iowa from An Eastern
flEtt Stand Point. ea49' l}

IOWA from an Eastcxn
asft stand Point se
Waldo M. Potter, Esq, of the Sara
togian, published Mt Saratoga Springs,
N. Y, has recently visited Iowa, and,
like . sensible gentleman as he is,
writes an article for his paper In which
10, contained his honest convictions Of
the greatness Of Iowa and her, future.
We have only room for the following
extract: ta a
Before coming to Iowa, / thought I
knew something OF her past, aud had
some conception of her future. But 1
am satisfied that to me, at least, "the
half had not been told. She is evi.
IDENTIFY destined to stand In the front
I'm extent she IL certain TO become, be-
fore many years, an empire ins wealth
and power. ! Her situation geographic
ally Is favorable to every purpose that
can be accomplished by material
growth, or fiatter tlie pride and ambi-
tion of her people. Lying about mid
way between the great oceans, her in
fiuence will be felt across the conti-
nent, and being bounded on one side by
the Missouri, and on the other by the
Father of Waters, she must enjoy
whatever advantages can fiow from
those highways of Internal commerce.
Her climate is tempting to emigration,
the Southern line of the Stnte resting
on the 40th parallel of latitude, while
the Northern reaches the 43d. Oh
square miles she boasts So, ,0O0-a quar-
ter more than New York. Her shape
Is comely, the distance across her sur
face averaging about 800 miles from
east to west, and about 200 from north
to south. Her population, when erect
ed into territory In 1888, was 22,S39 +;
when raised to the dignity of State in
IS47, 49, ,651 in 1850, 2O4, 774 In 1850,
6T4, ,913; In 1867, In spite of the exhaus-
ting war of the rebellion, 902, 2,040. III
her population has increased three fold
In the last decade, IL Is not extravagant
to assume that II will double In ten yrs.
to come. sE5 h3n bisH ~ az SgUg
While ranking as one Of the LARGEST
States, Iowa probably surpasses all 9TH
ers In area Of tillable land. These Ia
scarcely waste acre within her bor-
ders. This 10 the universal testimony
of those most familiar with the State.
The sol, too, possesses varied qualities
adapting 1t to every species OF agricult.
uraf production. Grain and fruits ear
equal facility. The prairies are not DC
and therefore afford greater variety o.
surface, Timber though not abundant
can be readily obtained: /: and In the
northwest portion of the State whers
IL 10 scarcest groves have been planted.
There were q, 900 acres of timber un-
der cultivation last year. "t'
nall that makes u State great and
noble, by raising the standard Of pop
ular inteiligence, emeliorating the con
dition of the unfortunate, Iowa stands
among the first. She has q large mum
Der or colleges and academies. Hel
public schools are absolutely free, anc
under efficient control. Her schoo
fund is now over $1,000, co.,. derived
from sales of q 10th section OF land In
each township, and q grant OF 5O0,n
acres from Congress. She has deaf anC
dumb, and blind, and insane asylums
and soldiers orphans homes--all libe.
rally endowed. She has State Agri
cultural College, to educate her farm
er's Sons, and agricultural fairs which
rank second to none In the older com
You may think me slightly enthusi'
astic--I am. / confess the 'soft I'm
peachment." But 1t is the enthusiasm
born of facts and figures, and fortified
by observation. When I see State &C
favored by nature. and exhibiting on
every hand such evidences of thrift anC
prosperity; when 1 see cities and vii
lagos rapidly duplicating in population
the tide of Immigration setting
strongly and steadily IN; Areal estate
In town and county, constantly anc
surely increasing In value and, more
than all, Republican principles mo-
merely retaining, but increasing, theil
hold upon the popular mind, 4 canno
withhold my admiration Of both State
and people. The only wonder 10, tina
SO many, at the East, are willing K
tread the paths which their father trot
Ito delve among rocks, or searci
among sands, for the necessaries Of life
while millions of acres of rich virgir
soil can be had almost for the asking