The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-28
OUT ON THE PEAIRIES


Editorial Correspondence ofthe STATE Journal
Leaving the banks of the Mississippi at
Dubuque this glorious June morning west
ward bound, the prairies are seen in their
most splendid dress. Their vast billowy
swclls are clothed with freshest green,
spangled with flowers. Here growing
crops and clamps of trees break the other
wise nnvarying undulations of natural
meadow. The Sioux City road over which
we are travelling is an arm of the Illinois
Central and stretches out through Iowa and
Minnesota, sending off fingers here and
there to gather in the immense productions
OF this fertile region. Though compare
lively new road it is so smooth that we
write easily as we ride.
The crops are looking finely, though not
as forward as usual. An abundant wheat
crop is promised. Corn is also very good ;
and the small fields of rye seen here and
there show that this grain might be more ex-
tensively cultivated with profit. Here as in
Virginia we see too little grass of cultivated
varieties. There isno timber except along the
streams and that not first-class. The
fences are all of boards or wire fastened to
cedar posts. Great attention is being paid
to the cultivation Of timber. Groves of
locust, maple, oak, hickory and other USE
fal trees are seen dotting the prairies like
islands. ...... ~. q. 's....a &.
The houses are generally pretty white
cottages, surrounded with orchards and
shrubbery, and every few miles neat school
houses show that education is not neglected.
AS often as once in six miles we pass
through beautiful village, with its
churches, schools and tastefully ordered
homes, resting like gems upon the green
bosom of the prairie. Here merchants.
tradesmen and professional men reside, and
In still larger numbers well-to-do farmers.
who lind in the village better schools and
social privileges than in the country, but
derive their support from lands a few miles
distant. These centres of trade and better
social opportunities enhance the value of
lands for several miles around, and are the
Vltalizlng centres of the population. They
are precisely what we want in Virginia 10
confer value upon our wide wastes of nm
cultivated country. They become the CEN
tres OF trade and manufacturing industry,
forming market for the farmer at his own
door. TGsalsHFs uarsa a#r
Without such villages a country must all
ways remain in great measure HELPLESS
ana impoverished. 1t is the tendency off
free Trade to prevent their development.
and reduce the country to one level of nov.
efty by interviewing that diversity of pur-
suits which beauties and enrjches # The |
west is rapidly becoming convinced of the |
value of home industry. The incidental
protection afforded by the war built nm
manufactures both west and south ,vbore
they were before unknown. The common
sense of the people outruns theory, and do.
cldes by experiment what politicians wran-
gle over without result.
The rapid growth of these villages is spr
prlslng. They spring up like mushrooms
but their growth is steady and healthy. he
cause it is based upon increasing population
and expanding industry. lT'aTs
As we pass along passengers drop in and
out and tell US "about things % out here