The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-03-14
The Great West.
Special Correspondence Of the Gold Leaf

Special Correspondence Of The Gold Leaf.
In looking over the map of our wide ex-
tending country. reaching from the At
lantic TO the Pacific ocean, we are aston
ished at the va>tnesss of the unsettled por-
items of the West. The rapidity with which
the West is being settled mp is also aston
ishing. About eighty years ago the red
man and wild beasts roamesl from the
mouth of the Missouri 10 where the waters
of the Pacific lash our Western shore, I'M
disturbed by the presence of the white
man. The rich and populous State of Mis-
souri,, that now casts sixteen votes in the
Electoral College, in 1893 was wild unex-
ptored region. In 1903 Congress sent out
an exploring party, under Lewis and
Clarke to explore the Western wilds from
where the Missouri empties into the Miss
isSippi to where the Columbia empties its
waters into the Pacific ocean. 1t was a
hazardous undertaking amid wild beasts
of the forest and uncivilized savages. As
cending the Rocky Mountains they were
the first white men that stood upon the
summit which forms the water Shed be-
! tween the two oceans, the Eastern and
Western boundaries Of this great country.
Traver>ing the Western wilds for a dis
lance of four hundred miles they sat down
! in their encampment on the Pacific aud
mapped out their journey. Lewis and
Clarke were men of energy and endured
many hardShipS in tracing out the wonders
! OF the great West. The West when it is
thickly settled up, with its many millions
OF inhabitants Suhsi>ting on the products
of its rich and fertile soil, is destined to
exert controlling influence in the affairs
OF this great Republic. New England will
I've 10 more in comparison with the West
than little tributary stream with the out
pouring ocean in which its waters are lost.
| The wild buffalo that rOams the parties of
the West and the beasts of prey that suck
the blood Of their slain victims will disap-
pear before the march Of the uncOnquera-
BILE white man and the savage races will
learn to fear: if not respect us. or be blot
ted out Of existence. When the mower Of
the farmer reaps the yellow grain from the
millions Of acres of the now uncultivate1
West this great republic will Ike the gran
cry Of the world. Foreign capitalists art
investing millions in our Western lands Il
accumulate OvergrOwn fortunes in The
! future. No one who is not a resident o.
our country ought tn be allowed to gObblt
up our most desirable Western lands t,
extort from bona fide settlers enormous
profits. 1t will cost the government moth
ing to hold them until actual settlers o
our country need them. Nor do thinl
j mercileSs native born rings ought to con
! troll millions of acres Of the selected land
) of the West to the exclusion of settlers. l
. should be held by the government and soil
to actual settlers as needed In limited guam
titles. Ii a foreigner wants to come to OIL
country let him come, and keep away frou
the ballot box until lie learns somethin,
I about our institutions and gives evidence
of his determination to take up his abod
land controlling the fairest portions o
the West bleeding the honest settlers G
our soil. Let Americans rule America
r. W. L.