The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-01-11
ST. LOUIS THE FUTURE CAPITAL OF THE
UNITED STATES.
ny PROFESSOR wATERHoUsE.

| From the December number Of De Bows Review,
The removal of our national capital is a
| subject worthy of the grave consideration Of
| American statesmen. At present, while the
nation is paying the heavy debt which the
preservation OF its life incurred, 1t may not
be prudent to increase the public burdens.
| Bat our congressman shoud bear in mind
the certainty of the ultimate transfer of the
capital. No more public buildings should
be erected at Washington, and no more
money spent upon the old ones than is nee.
eRsary to fit them for official use. The hdop
| ton Of this policy will reduce the final cost
Of removal Tho seat ofgovernment should
| be located in the center Of the country, for
| the convenience Of legislators and the safety
Of tho capital. The congressman from Ore
gon trayerses the entire breadth Of the con.
tinent. After the completion Of the Pacific
| railroad, st. Louis will be easily accessible
to members from the Pacific coast But
| even now, the route to St. Louis by way Of
| Panama and the Mississippi is far more di
rect and less expensive than that to Wash
| ington. The Inconvenience to which the
present location of our capital subjects oul
congressman, demands an early redress.
Geography is an important element il
history. The tides Of conquest have otter
been turned by physical barriers. A noun
tain range is a natural barrcale, and fai
| inland situation protects its capital against
| Invasion by its central remoteness, and the
time it affords for the concentration of de-
Tending forces. But metropolis lying near
level scabosrd and unguarded by natural
obstacles, invites attack Though the cap
ture of Washington would for obvious ren
sons have less military significance than the
capture of any foreign capital, yet even here
such an event would be disastrous. WheI
the British took possession Of Washington
in the war of 1872, feeling Of dismay filled
the national heart. This loss Of prestig,
was equivalent to defeat in he field,
disheartened the nation, demoralzed th
3 army, and elAted the enemy. DURING th
late rebellion patriots often trembled for tn
I safety of the capital. The exposed position
e Of Washington both provoked assault and in
& creased the difficulties Of defence. TIT
E government was compelled to keep larg
c force upon the banks of the Potomac for thu
r protection of the capital. If this army coull
, have gone to the front. its valiant reinforce
ments would doubtless have secured an ear
lier achievement of victory. The cost 0
, maintaining this army in inglorous inactiv
? ity for the defence of Washington far ex
+. ceeded the expense Of transferring the capi
e | tai to St Louis. The defence Of Washing
l ton was military necessity. The captur
, of the city by the rebel forces would hsv
led foreign powers to an immediate recog
milton of the insurgent states. But, apar
from military emergencies, an abandonment
of Washington at the beginning of the wa
was demanded by every Consideration 0
economy. The nation would have saveC
millions of treasure by the cheap sacrifice 0
its capital.
Again, the Mississippi Valley will sool
and forever be the centre Of American popu
ation, wealth and agricultural production
The material resources whose development
will enrice the nation lie mostly in the cen
trail states. The star of empire will soor
shed its fixed radiance over this happy val
ley Western fields will be the seat of oui
should be practically acquainted with the
momentous interests affected by their enact
ments. Observation is more impressive
than description. If an eastern member Of
congress has actually seen the rapids and
snags Of the Mississippi, he has liyelier
conviction of the necessity of their removal
than any account of them, however graphic
could impress. Now some of our eastern
Legislators have never visited the west, and
others have only made brief tours
through its principal cities. If the seat of
government we're changed, their public du.
ties would require members of congress to
make frequent journeys in the west, and
their official residence in this metropolis
would tamiliarize them with the great inter
ests TO be regulated by their legislation.
This intimate knowledge of the industrial
wants and greatness of the west would lead
| to the adoption of a more liberal domes tic
policy, and to a large increase Of eastern
immigration. From the date of it's settle,
| m emit, the commercial interests Of this valley
| have suffered because the distinctions 10
| western navigation have not been fully
| known or the necessity for their removal
adequately appreciated. This ignorance or
! indifference has injured both sections. The
additional cost of breadstutfs caused by
these impediments in the Mississippi is taken
from the profits of the western producer and
added to the expenses of the eastern con.
sumner. Thus all parts of our country feel
the IOsses imposes ny ueLeCu'e VI lhPOiluC
| legislation. These difficulties would be
measurably obviated by central location
of the seat of government The necessities
of western travel and residence incident to
their official position tend to acquaint mem
bers with the important interests upon which
they were to legisate. 1t is fortunate when
the geographical is also the industrial centre
of country for then the capital occupies
the safest military position, and fosters fam
iharity with the weightiest interests of the
nation. The seat of government ought to