The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-01-03
Illinois and Missouri.

The grandeur with which these two great
states stand out in the cencus of 1870 is one
OF the most interesting features of that CEN
sus and a signihcan, indication Of the future
leadership in the west. In a country where
half q century ID considered q long period
neither OF these states can be regarded as
comparatively young and we do not look ia
either OF them for those sudden spurts of
growth which nearly all our young states
exhibit in the first ten or twenty years Of
their infancy. But, old and steady as Hi
nois and Missouri are considered to be- when
compared with Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota
and California, they furnish a growth in the
decade that even the new states do not sur.
pass, and no one of the older states equals
OHIO has heretofore been looked upon as the
western marvel of growth in population and
wealth; and its citizens were in the habit of
looking confidently forward to the not far
distant time when Ohio would dsplace
Pennsylvania as the second state in the
mon. But the figures of 1870 show clear
iy that high honor is reserved for Illinois,
: -sr-...--. -idlng forward to it with
g;gan,;c cal, In so the population g
Ohio was :, sss ,so6, a4 that 81 g IIlinoi. only
1851; but now ths population of Ohio
is 2 ,663 6Sl, and that Of Illinois 2,540,2l6.
Illinois has 30 nearly overhaaied her sister
as to have reduced the lstter's superiority
of 627 $50 in 1860. to 1913, 465 in 1870. The
Sucker State" is thus tresdiug on the heels
of Der rival, and will certainly surpsss her
by 1880. The aggregate increase
Of population 10 Ohio in the last
ten years is 324,O75, something less than IA
per cent; while the aggregate increase in
Illinois is 1928, 265, over AZ per cent. Illinois
has, in fact, made larger aggregate addi.
ton to its population than any other state
in the Union, surprising even Pennsylvania
and New York, the two largest Of them all
Pennsylvania's increase in 675, 1855, and
New York's 492, 1873; SO tina. the increase of
Illinois exceeds that of Pennsy lvsnia BY
PAS, $50, and exceeds that of New Yew BY
335, 1872.
Next to Illinois in marvellous rapidly of
growth in population and wealth stands
Missouri. Its population in 1860 was
l,l82,0l2; in 1870 1t is 1,7l4,006. an in
crease OF 53t 1894, or over 43 per cent for
the ten years. This enormous increase OF
population finds no equal in that of any
other state except Illinois and Pennsy lvania;
it is 29, 1872 greater than that of Iowa, 3d.
66l creator than that of New York, and
only 4l,19l less than that of the great state
one half that of Missouri.
The conspicuous eminence which these
two states occupy in the census of 1870, and
tho wonderful growth of their respective
leading cities, far above thst of any other
city In the country, suggest unerrlngly the
future seat of emire in the United
States. That Missouri and Illinois
should be growing more rapidly
10 population and wealth. at this time than
any other state in the Union, and that S,
Louis and Chicago should be outstripping
all other cities in the land, with the possible
exception of New York, in the accumulation
and development of all the elements oil
stable wealth and prosperity, and that, too
with the railway system of the two states
still incomplete, and the mines Of one Of
them only beginning to be developed, can
no. be wholly accounted for by their superi
or fertility of soil, agricultural capabilities
or facilities for intercourse. These may
have something to do with the matter; blu,
there is a great fact behind them tina, is the
real explanation of the phenomenon
Illinois and Missouri occupy the center Of
Union. and their superior increase in popu
lation ia simply the instructive gathering Of
the vital forces of the nation around ita
future heart. The census of 1880 will
exhibit complete transfer Of power from
the East to the West, the exaltation oil
Western interests to controlling eminence
and the subsidence of the Atlantic states to
an inferior position and when that transfer
shall have been made, it will be seen tina,
the Mississippi is the great sorts In onr
anatomy, and the real heart is close beside
( 't-St. Louis Republican, 1870.