Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-15
IOWA AHEAD.

Rev. U. j. Squires writes letter
under the above head, to the Essex
county, IN. W Republican, from
which we take the following ex-
tracts:
I had no just conception of this
part of the land until had come and
saw for myself, and no one who has
lived in the older States can have un-
til he has personal observation and
experience in the country. For
though the sane nation and on the
same continent, things are widely
different. Here everything is on q
vast scale--the land is vast and I'M
measured--the products of the coil
are vast, the immigration is vast, the
railroads, the internal improvements,
the progress and the development of
the country, the stir, the push, and
the enterprise of the people, the
schools and the attention to educa-
ton, the general intelligence and vir-
tue of the citizens, are all on q vast
scale. The God that made this land
so vast and rich moves forward his
plans Of development in a most won
derful manner.
But the character of the inhabitants
of Iowa is a. remarkable as her soil.
Take people in all parts of the State
and as whole I have never seen
their equal, much lses their superior.
This to my mind is the greatest glo-
ry Of the commonwealth. She has
very choice class of citizens.
You will find here the cream of
eastern society, and more or less of
the stirring talent from all of the old
er States. They are here from all
parts of Europe, and from almost all
points Of the earth. From some law
ofprovidence the very best type of
migrants are pouring into Iowa.
God evidently intended to make it a
model State.
The population is remarkable for
general intelligence. have been az
much surprised at this as at any one
thing have met in the West. You
may meet man on the street or in
tho sanctuary with q rather rough
exterior, perhaps, but if you chance
to have conversation with him you
will find that he is a man of brains
and we'll posted upon all the topics of
the times. 1t will not do here to es-
innate mans intelligence always by
his external appearance, for many q
graduate of college is too much in
earnest for outside show.
The school system of education in
iowa is the best ever saw. Indeed
education is the pride of the people.
From the formation of the common.
wealth down to the present time this
has been a specially in legislation, in
benevolence and in constant atten.
ton and interest among all the citi.
zens. Go where you will, in any
city or town, the first building OF
mark that strikes your eye is the
school building of the place, tower.
ing above all the surrounding build.
ings, and your first impression 10 tina,
it must be some State institution
Houses and churches even may in
some instances be cheap, but the edi
flee where the young are to be edu
Gated must be roomy, convenient and
imposing.
The people are also full OF enter
prise and western push. Iowa is on
ly 81 years old, a mere infant in tn,
family of States, yet she has rail
roads running like net work cover
ing her immense territory, having
four main lines running east an(
west, and the same north and south
with any number of branches open
ing the interior of the land to rail
road communication.