The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-11
actions of geography combined to throw into a
narrow belt so many Of the parallels Of progress

actions of geography combined to throw into
narrow belt so many of tho parallels Of progress
and power
The character of our Indiana commune has
peen, In large measure determined by the
qualities of our original population. The State
was settled during the first quarter of the CEN
tnry. No extensive colonies were established.
The people came by twos and threes, or at most
IN little groups of families and friends. In n
general way it may be said that two principal
classes contributed to form our early population.
There were the Northern and Southern elements
OF society. One stream flowed into the State
from the region south of the Ohio while the
otner came from the East Those who were
borne on the first current were representatives
and products of the social and political institu
tons OF Virginia and Carolina; those who came
with the other current were the representatives
of New England and the Middle States Nearly
all the southern slope of Indiana was peopled by
immigrants from Kentucky, West Virginia and
North Carolina. They were generally poor.
They came into the new State to escape from
conditions which had become intoerable south
hard and merciless discipline of slavery. and
sought to gain in the Indiana wildwoods what
they could never have at home.
Strange it is that while thus attempting to
escape from slavery the primitive people of
southern Indiana should have brought with them
kind of sympathy and affection for the institu
ton and manners which they left behind. The
social conditions with which they had been "a
miilar In Childhood chung to them In their new
home, and determined in a large measure the
politics and society of the rising commonwealth.
1t cannot be denied that this fact has greatly
retarded the progress of Indiana. The pioneer
squatter of our southern counties was not man
OF parts He had no sympathy with innova-
tons. His aspirations flew low. His ideas
were as few as his children were numerous. and
around his cabin grew the rank and noisome
weeds of ignorance and poverty. Quite unlike
all this was the early society of northern Indi-
ana. Here the Yankee established his industry
and planted his dialect The primitive institu-
tions of upper regions drew their sap and
sentiment from Cumberland, from the Hudson,
and from the region beyond, even to New hamp-
shire and Maine.
From this difference in planting has sprung
the marked contrast between the civilization
and progress Of northern and southern Indiana.
The people of the two sections have never been
at one in thought and action. Politically, they
opposed. Socially, they are unlike Indus
rally, they different Even religiously
they are much at variance. Since the war this
well Unmarked distinction between the two halves
of our population has been partially obliterated.
What with the growth of new generation of
Hoosiers in Southern Indiana, what with the
rise and development of new industries, and
what with the intermingng of the people, a
more homogeneous society has sprung up and
the common enterprises of our State have been
proportionately quickened.