The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-06-27
THElNDUSTRIAL WEST.


capitol in the east it is natural to
look to the great teeming west for an
outlet for the surplus labor and for
the employment Of capital in great
enterprises and achievements. The
"West,' that is, the great basin east
of the Rocky Mountains and west of
the Alleghanies. holds variety of
resources and offers an opportunity
for industrial employment not else
where found in the world.
Bound by ties of blood in common
brotherhood, connected by the iron
pathways, and associated in trade and
commerce, and political and social
emulation, the east looks westward
for her provisions and raw material,
and for market for her surplus and
the employment of her overflow.
How far is the world justified in it's
expectations of the West. and how
much Of hope is there Of it's industrial
future!
The west has just felt the full force
of the wave of disruption and disaster
which followed the period of imitation
succeeding the war. Not until with
in the past six months has the FORE
closing of inevitable results fallen in
it's full effects upon the industries Of
the central western country. Some
premonitions the west had from time
to time in the disasters east of the
Alleghanies, and the long shadows
those troubles cast westward; but the
disruption and disturbance of all
fixed foundations and prospects have
but come while the east is settling up
old scores and reaWakenlng to indus
trial prosperity. In the past six
months the great iron works Of the
west have felt the force of the slack
ened demand for their products. and
the heavy decline of the price of goods
consequent upon the lower scale of
manufacture and the almost bankrupt
disposal of material. The great shops
which are not idle are too nearly so to
allow of profit, and to keep the plant
in operation so as to avoid the loss of
rust and waste in idleneSS is about
the only effort. This is not the con-
dition in few instances, but in all
the West beyond Pitsburg. The
large shops at Chicago and vicinity,
at indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Cleve-
land, and especially at st. Louis, are
idle or but partially in operation. In
Chicago and st. Louis the suspension
or winding up of more than half the
banking institutions shows the pres
sure the country has had to meet.
Nor are the iron works the only
ones. Every industry in the Mlssis-
sippi basin has had its share of the
disaster. That the wave of difficulty
is over is more than probable, for
there is no fuel upon which the
element can feed; it has spent itself.
and the tide of recuperation is slowly
at work. The foundation upon which
the future prosperity of tGe west is
to be built is about all there is eX-
listing; but the foundation is firm, and
the dear school ofexperience has been
passed through. and the people have
the knowledge and hold it worth all
it so painfully cost.
What is to be the future of the
west, and upon what basis of enter
prise and achievement their pros
perity is to be builded, can be only
partially intimated. The first prin-
ciple is the value TO be derived from
her broad. unobstructed agricultural
advantages. No other nation or
locality has such resources and adj
vantageous opportunities to begin
with. and we are satisfied that the
leaven of scientific cultivation now
slowly working is soon to produce
astonishing results in the great
west. Not one half the fertile land
of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois is vet
under cultivation. while but half the
returns from the soil are received of
which the land is capable. More
labor will soon be given to ten acres
than one hundred now receive. and
the profits will be proportionately
high.
Next after the agriculture the
mineral resources of the west will
yet be scientifically developed. and
that to a proportionate profit. All
other things upon the earth and in
and under it are for the service of
the farmer pursuit. and in no part of
the world is it so apparent as in the
central western states. No people
can have more than they produce. and
we are satisfied that no part of the
world will take more interest or more
pride in the development of their
home resources to their utmost than
the west. We are satisfied, too. that
the central west is TO be the great
inland industrial empire of the world.
Scientific american.