Evening star., 1870-02-04
WHERE SHOULD BE THE CAPITAL.



as may be, the positions of the three balance
centers, spoken of in the preceding number.
THE BALANCE CENTER FOR THE EAST.
The great business centers o. the Atlantic
section are: Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and New Orleans. 1t Sd happens
that these are all nearly in one straight line on
the map. All the other business points of the
section will balance upon this line, or nearly So
The balance center OF these live cities. consider
ing their importance proportional to their pres
ent population, is near Wilmington, Delaware;
and If the average of commercial business
should be considered as expressed by these CEN
tiers, the true balance center OF the Atlantic sec
ton would be thus determined IT. however,
the actual present business of the country
shonld be fairly estimated, the point would be
considerably nearer New York, the commercial
preponderance of which and the important in-
dustries of New England overbalancing the
more southern leverage. But there are other
considerations which should enter as elements
into the calculation. The staple products of the
Southern States-cOtton, tobacco, rice, and
sugar--enter more largely into commerce than
the other agr cultural products of the country;
and. in this view, other southern ports, As
Mobile, Savannah. Charleston, and Norfolk
should adj more weight to the Southern arm.
Besides, the matter should he considered not
merely in the light of the present, but in rela-
ton to the probable future condition of the At
lantic section. In this view, the South will
probably grow in relative Importance, because
of its advantages in climate. the not yet ade-
quately supplied demand for its staples. its
present sparseness Of population, and its inn
mense tracts of unoccuped fertile country. es-
pecially in Texas, the extreme southwest; which
will unquestonably render its future growth i'm
population and industry rapid and immense
These considerations may well move the balance
center southwark nearly or quite as far
Washington, which also lies exactly on the great
commercial line before mentioned. At any rate,
the actual locality of the capital cannot be far
from the true Center. as it should be determined,
and IT may be rcckoned as such in this discus
sion.
THE BALANCE CENTER FOR THE WEST.
The determination of the balance center Ofthe
Mississippi section il not difficult. The four
great business points are Pittsburg, Cincinnati,
Chicago, and st. Louis. The size AMI import
ance OF these four cities are 80 nearly the same
that neither can materially SNerye the center
from the geographical determination. Two
direct lineS--one from Pittsburg, To st. Louis,
and the other from Cincinnati t. Chicago-cro,s
each other near indianapolis; and since several
of the railroads between these four points cOn-
ccntrate al that city, the balance center may be
considered as very approximately located there.
II the other more important business points of
the West, suth a. Cleveland. Detroit, Milwau-
he, ~. Paul, LeavenwOrth. Louisville and Mem
phi>, should enter into the direct calculation.
the result could not vary far thercfrOm. Thus.
taxing the three extreme points, Pitt-burs.
Memphis. and st. Paul. a nearly equilateral
triangle, formed by their connecting lines.
would have its center near the Illinois
line. west of Lafayette, Indiana. The
future growth of the West probably will not
shift the center TO any considerable extent,
since, aside from the fact that the foar great
business points first named. doubtless, in all
future time. will have an oyerpowc cring influence
in keeping the ntcr where Il is, there is little
prospect OF any new centeIs, of much i'm
portance, springing up hereafter. Nearly all OF
the best country of the West already has been
taken up; and most OF the cities of future pros
pec, doubtless, already have been founded and
given their promise. Not far west Of the lire OF
States bordering the western bank OF the Mis-
sissippi. the great barren region commences.
and no large cities are likely there to rise The
vicinity of indianapolis. therefore. may be
assumed as the balance center Of the MissssiPp
Valley for all time.
TIE BALANCE CENTER BETWEEN THE TWO SIC
TIoES.
The balance center between the Atlantic and
Mississippi sections, geographically considered
merely, would be near Pittsburg. But this
point evidently is too far in the Mississippi sec
ton: the Aileghanv range the line of division
between the sections. being a hundred miles
further east; and the peculiar shape of the At
lantic section, long and narrow, along the line
of division, while the Mississippi section is as
"road as long, rendering it necessary to fix the
true center further eastward. 4 more import
ant consideration however, is the relative inhu-
ence OF the two sections, which shall elucida;e
in the comparison further along. Yet it is ne
cessary here to furnish sufficient data to ap-
proXimatcly point out the balance center be-
tween the sections the true basis: First
taking the four great commercial centers
of the northern part of the Atlantic section,
Boston. New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore,
ara their suburbs vicinites, whose balance
center is very nearly the rity of New York, a a
fair representative of that secton and the four
great business ccnters of the Mississippi section,
pittsburg, Cincinnati Chicago and st. Louis,
and their suburbs or vlcinities, whose balance
center is indianapolis, a fair representative
OF that section; and reckoning their mutual in
huence simply in proportion to their population
at the present time, we shall have, by estimate.
for Boston, about $50 600, New York 1000 900.
Philadelphia 600 ,000 ami Baltimore 80 900;
total, 4,o00,010 inhabitants. and for the four
western cities. an average of 80 900 each, or a
total OF Goa, 600 inhabitants. The balance cen
ter, on this basis of calculation, wOnld be little
east of Harrisburg. And the Southern Atlantic
division, balanced herewith, would move the
centre southwark TO point near Hagerstown,
Maryland, 4 central location between the two
great mountain chains OF the Allegheny line Of
division between the Atlantic and Mississippi
sections. And, as will be shown. the future rel
ative importance of the two sections probably
will not move the center further westward.
OF these centers, Is above determined, let Us
consider the comparative merits
NEW YORK As THE CAPITAL.
IL the actual accommodation Of the greatest
number who have business with the national
government, OF occasion to visit the national
capital, were the only consideration, New York
has claim which cannot be rivalled by any other
point, as a location for the capital. Ii l. now
the commercial and mechanical capital. At
least twO-thir,ls OF all the imports of the coun-
try into its port. Its relations with all other
parts of the country, West as well As East, are
more important than OF any others between
themselves; and its connections with the ont-