Evening star., 1870-02-05
WHERE SHOULD BE THE CAPITAL.
No. HI.

THE EAST AND WEST COMPARED.
A comparison between Washington and Ind-
annapolis, considered as representatives of the
East and West, in fitness of position for the cap
ital, involves the whele merits of the Atlantic
and Mississippi sections, TO determine which has
the stronger claims
AS TO COMMERCE..
Considering the commercial interest the most
important of all, i'm its relations to the govern
ment, all the foreign commerce belongs to the
Atlantic section. The products exported even
from the West pass through that section; and
its imports enter through the same. Here the
comparison is wholly on the side OF the Atlantic.
What fraction OF the commerce may pass
through the Pacific, is of nearly equal conse-
quence to both of the other sections, and does
not change the comparison.
SUPERIORITY OF THE EAST IN MANUFACTURES.
In considering the manufacturing interest,
two classes of manufactures should be distin-
gushed; one, embracing such as as are produced
for expectation, or for general consumption
throughout the country, which may be called
Commercial manufactures" the other, COM
prising such as have sale in the vicinity, mora
less extended, of the place of manufacture,
which may be termed "local manufactures"
OF the two classes, the commercial manufac-
tures, as entering into the commerce of the
country, have the more important relations
with the government. These manufactures
belong almost exclusively to the Atlantic sec
ton; while even its local manufactures are more
important than those of the Mississippi valley.
there being greater facilities for producing
them, larger consumption, and a better mar
ket in the East. This manufacturing superiority
the East will always maintain, for many reasons:
Its water power greatly surpasses that OF the
West; it wood, both as raw material for
manufacturing and as fuel, is much
more abundant; coal is equally or more
convenient OF access; and iron, the most
importGL! material. more concentrated within
its rcacl imported raw materials come
more Chearly, by saving inland transportation.
while all commercial manufactures by again
Saving inland transportation in exporting. can
be produced ard sold at the East below CONNIE
tition by the West. Add to these that the East
has now the control OF most manufactures, has
the advantage of a half century more of expert
enoe, bringing with it the greater skillfulness OF
us Workman, and the abundance OF accumulated
capital, with, to say the least, equal spirit and
enterprise, and what possible drawback can
there be tha. it shall not continue the lead at the
full distance a head which it has already ad-
vanced?
GREATER.
In respect to the agricultural interest. the
least important OF all in direct relations with
The government, the Mississippi valley might
at first thought, excel the Atlantic slope. Bat
important and undeniable reasons even in this
will show the reverse. First, in extent, the
Atlantic equals or exceeds the other section com
prising, rs it does, the extensive country along
the gulf of Mexico, as far up as the southern
part of Tennessee and of Arkansas and the staked
plains of Texas, while the great desert of the
West is OF triiiing account, and may as well be
excluded from the comparison. Next, IN fertility.
he East, on the whole, may be considered fully
equal to the West. For, with the exception of
the prairie country, which has its counterpart
IN the immense and fertile bottoms Of the Gulf
region, the average fertility OF the West cannot
be said to exceed, if it equals, that of the East
since, while no part OF the West east of the
desert may have so poor a soil as portions OF
the immediate Atlantic coast, there are regions
Of the East unsurpassed by any lands in the
country. Such are the rich limestone valleys
of the Allegheny range, especially the Valley of
Virginia and Western Maryland, as well as
southeastern Pennsylvania, Northwestern New
Jersey and New York, Eastern New York and
Western New England. In its fertility, the At.
lantic region has long been unduly disparaged
Thus, for instance, New England is almost al
ways spoken of as barren; whereas, as a whole.
the entire country, on an average, hardly ex-
GELS it in fertility. There is no more fertile
State than Vermont, with the single exception
Of Illinois. And portions of Connecticut, Mas
sachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, also,
are superior agricultural lands. Another point
is worthy Of consideration, whether the prairies
Of the West, with their deficiency of lime and
sill will hnl nrrfi
the lime regions of the East, though the West
has partial compensation in the limestone
lands OF Kentucky and Tennessee.
GREATER VALUE OF EASTERN PRODUCTS
Another view Of the matter should not escape
notice. 1t is not the quantity, but the market
value Of agricultural products that is the true
scale of measurement The East, with its dem
ser population, with manufacturing localities
mingled in all its midst, and great commercial
cities within easy distance from all parts is by
30 much, better market that nearly everything
produced on the soil brings higher price than
in the West, including the valuable products of
the orchards and market gardens, which do not
figure conspicuOusly in the census-not so large
ly as the great staples, corn and wheat ,sbut are
more profitable to the cultivators.
THE FUTURE EXPECTATIONS OF THE WEST
ILLUsIvE.
The truth Is thus now; and what Is the prOba-
bility of the future? Much has been said of
the rapid growth of the West, and of its destiny
to become the seat Of the largest population In
the future. These anticipations are entirely
deceptive, as indisputable facts will clearly
show. The experience Of the living generation
is, that the Western States have been peopled
with wonderful rapidity, SO that States which
were complete wildernesses within the memory
of men not old, already have outstripped in
population many Of the older States. And then
the (supposed) almost inexhaustible supply of
unoccupied, fertile lands in the West, and the
easy calculations Of the capability of supporting
hundreds of millions of people, captivate the
popular mind even in the East; and since the
agricultural population in the old States has in
creased but little in all the time of this unex-
ampled growth of the West, the future prepon-
derance of the latter in population has become
a fixed idea. 1t is easy to dspel this whole
Elusive anticipation.
THE EAST TO oUTsTRIP THE WEST IN FUTURE
The quantity OF yet unoccupied fertile lands
in the Mississippi valley is, compared with what
have become occupied, not large. Already are
settlers in Kansas and Nebraska on the very
verge of the great DESERT and in the older States
of the West the government lands have been
nearly all disposed of. So long as these rich