Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-25
THE NATIONAL cAPETAL.


THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Mr., 4. q. ReA2is ON the Subject Of
kEtf { Rensovins the Capital. fT
Mr.. L. U. Reayis, of St, Louis, who has
for some years been the most earnest and
persistent advocate of removing the Nation
al Capital from Washington to more cen
tral locality, delivered a lecture on the sub
Jet last evening in the Hall Of the House
of Representatives. Most of the members
Ofthe General Assembly were present, and
Nashville has rarely witnessed more in
telllgent audience than was assembled to
hear tie "Capital Remover" last night.
Speaker Richardson introduced the lee
turer to the meeting in his usual graceful
and pleasing manner. ma
Mr.. Reavis commenced BY abiding to the
importance of the subject on which he was
about to speak, and then briefly reviewed
the rapid progress of civilization on this con-
tinent SINCE its discovery and settlement by
Europeans. Having thus fairly opened his
address, he continued:
Our fathers organized the Government
out of federal association of thirteen pO-
litical communities, embracing narrow
strip of land stretching along the eastern
shore Of the Atlantic, and having an area to
the extent of only 34l, 756 square miles, and
an interior territorial possession with an
area Of 269, 759 square miles. The popula-
ton of the country at the time Of the organ
iZation of the American Union, was $685.
827, not so much as the present population
of the State of New York, and confined to
the thirteen original colonies, there being
no census returns for the Northwestern
territory. At the time of this territorial and
habitable condition of the young republic,
its capital was located where it now stands;
and that, too, as the discussions in the first
Congress show, because of the then central
location to the States and their populations.
Centrally of location was the pivot upon
which the whole argument used by the
members of the first Congress of the United
States was based. And yet some people
pretend to ignore the ancient argument of
centrally in the present discussion. In
1903, Mr.. Jefferson acquired, by the Louisi-
ana purchase, vast territorial possessions in
the very heart Of the continent, and extend
ed the boundary lines of the nation beyond
the Mississippi, and obtained posses
sion of that great river and all its
possible benefits. 1t was his pro-
found sagacity in discerning the future that
led him TO acquire that vast territory.
Texas was acquired in 1915, which added
to our domain PIP, 356 square miles. State
after State, in rapid succession, has come
into the Union, and Alaska has been added
in anticipation of the final supremacy of the
Constitution over the entire continent of
North America. Thus, in eighty years,
has the Republic grown from little more
than 100000 to almost 100000 pOpuls-
ton, and from an area of 610,512 square
miles has expanded TO 3,527 $50, which is
more than five times its original area; and
its population has increased more than nine
times the original number. Our CONNER
cial imports in the year 1871 were valued
at $52,000,000 and our exports at
S18,000,O00. Now, our imports are
estimated at gold value, to the amount
of S286,519,334, and our national
wealth is estimated at S23, 400, 000, 900, with
an annual increase of 1921, 100000. Our
principal products are estimated at 50, 2S2,-
$4,000, and our entire industrial resources
are valued at $4,223, 100000. AIlthi growth
has taken place since the location of the
National Capital where it now is, and it has
far removed to the West the place of national
centrality. Not only are the present condi-
territorial extent far west Of the original
thirteen States, but the facts demonstrate
that the center Of material power as well is
removed far beyond the west of these
States; and with the aid Of the railway, the
telegraph, the steam engine, steam naviga-
ton, and the multiplied forms of useful in
ventiOn to facilitate our progress, now for
the first time in full exercise, there is a con-
stantly accelerated tendency toward this
center. The larger half of the entire popu-
lation of the country is now found in the
valley of the Mississippi; and the infinitely
superior advantages of this part of our ter
ritOry must not only continue, but increase,
this preponderance; for it will not be denied
that that region which is the most produc-
tive will attract the greatest number; and
that this is the most productive no one will
be hardy enough to question.
The growth of our population is a subject
full of interest and argument. In 1920 the
population of the Atlantic slope was
76 66-100 per cent. Of the whole, leaving
% 33-l00 to the Mississippi valley. BY the
census returns of 1870, which comprise
growth of fifty years, the Atlantic slope has
Al 10-100 per cent, and the Mississippi and
the country west of it 81 90-100 per cent.
of the whole population of the country.
Assuming that the past furnishes a correct
basis for estimating the future growth Of
our population, it will require but forty
years more-or from 1920 to 1910-tO al
most precisely reverse the relative proper
ton of the whole population of the country,
thus giving to the Valley States 76 $1,000
per cent, and to the Atlantic slope % $1,000
per cent. of the whole population. The
most important department of the material
growth of the country is our railway sys-
tenn. There are 1925 railroads in the
United States, making a total of
about 81, 900 miles, and more than three
fifths of their length is found in the Missis-
sippi Valley, and their number is increasing
with amazing rapidity. They represent
greater value than the banking capital Of the
country, and exercise a more civiliZing in
fuence upon the people. In twenty years
we shall have mere railroads than all the
world besides, and nine-tenths of the num-
Der will be in the valley of the Mississippi.
But we are told that railroads make Wash
ington easy of access from all parts Of the
country. That can be said with much
greater prOpriety in favor of other places
than it can of Washington, and therefore
argues nothing for the present seat of gov
eminent, and especially when but one of
the 1,225 roads of the country runs to and
through Washington City. But above and
beyond any, consideration of railroads
annihilating time and distance, the
argument stands mistaken in favor
of the nation having a great central capital
in the midst of its population and material
power, where the threads of comInunica-
ton cannot be so easily cut by an enemy in
the event of war. In agricultural wealth
the Valley States far surpass those Of the
Atlantic seaboard, and the rivers of the
West float annually more than $4,000, OOO,-
900 in value of its products, which is thrice
the value of foreign commerce. The poll
teal power of the nation is also in the
Great Valley. Look at the facts for one
moment. The Atlantic Slope has an area
of 423, 1877 square miles, which is divided
into seventeen States. Under the COnsti-
tuition they are allowed thirty-four Senators
and one hundred and twenty Representa-
tives in the National Legislature. The
Mississippi Valley has an area of 2,455,OOO
square miles, with less than One-third of its
territory made into States. 1t now
has eighteen States, which, under
the Federal Constitution, are allowed
thiFty-six Senators and one hun