The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-28
The Great Centre of the Continent.

i
New York stands in relation with the
whole country ~ it's commercial, financial,
and intellectual capital. The business in
torcsts Of the nation are so closely bound up
with ours that no one will presume to draw
distinction between them. From 1920 to
the time of the outbreak Of the late war,
portion Of the wealth Of this city was en-
yloyed in constructing railroads and other
works Of internal improvement over the
valleys Of the Ohio and the Mississippi, and
along the borders Of the lakes; an employ
mcnt Of capital that involved great waste
and loss, and brought at first but small re-
turns.
The leading lines Of railroad across this
region have been 50 long completed that
now the promised results Of Increase Of pro-
duction aud wealth have ripcncd into har-
vest for this city. We are now rcaping,
without further outlay, all the results OF
enterprise and investment.
II, however, the trade Of the South is not
g. bc crippcd-and such crippliug would be
direct loss to this city-wc must devise
means to rciistahlish the credit of those Of
the Southern States now hopclessly In de-
fault If the events of the civil war caused
~ to lose sight of the Importance Of the
trade Of the South, they have shown how
great trade we can lose without being
ruined by it, With settled political future
md improved credit the revival Of the
trade of the Southern States will astonsh us
by its extent and value, when II begins its
rivalry with the West, as Of old, upon n
more equal footing, and with power and
momentum which freedom alone can give.
The increasing production and commerce
Of the great Northwestern States are now
flowing upon us through channels estab-
]ishcd and paid for. But westward beyond
that region lies new country which we are
now rising up to possess Across its broad
Wilderness. stretching from the Missouri
border To the Pacific coast 1.-The railroad and
the telegraph have long teen in operation,
and the prairies aud the slopes of the Rocky
Mountains are dotted with ilourshing
towns, villages, and settlements supporting
Bn active, restless, and energetic population.
The agricultural and mineral wealth Of this
new region presents greater inducements
than were ever before offered, and settlers
are swarming like bees in this direction.
In this general growth of the continent,
New York stands a. the great heart Of the
tbulAll N-lHf U'flll iiu' " lut Nuplf 'buI-
try. New York Is cosmopolitan in feeling
It, growth has been rapid-it has received
acccssions from every country in Christen-
dom; from the South the Middle States, and
New England. These acccssions have in
oluded the very best elements All feelings
and all opinions are represented here. We
are all closely in contact. Nowhere are
men more energetic in business. Nowhere
are opinions more fixed. Nowhere is discus
sion more earnest or sharply to the point,
and nowhere has it greater freedom. The
news Of the country concentrates and cma-
mates from here. The intellectual pulsations
throb instantly from Portland to San Fran
cisco, and return instantly. No provincial
ism or sectionalism can secure IA lodgmcnt
here.
The symnathos of all nations and all
classes are fused into one common mould
and flow out corrected and purified for the
whole country, with all its variety Of people,
interests, and climate
New York will cont inuo to aid the develop
incnt Of our broad domain 10y its sympathy,
ly the energy and ability Of its business
men, by its money aud the results Of this
development Will converge here. Every
new mine opened, every town built up.
comes in relation with New York, and every
railroad never mind how short, has one tor
minis here