Birmingham age-herald., 1894-11-25
THE GREATEST EMPIRE.
That Part of the United States
 Lying West of the Big River.
The Trans- Mississippi Congress-A Thou sand Men Representing Vast Territory and Wealth to Meet To-Morrow-
 A Glimpse of the Great Vest
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The Trans Mississippi congress, to convene in St Louis and continue for several days will be one of the most important gatherings of the en- tire year in all material respects. It's members will discuss the questions they consider of most vital importance to the v.ist region lying west of the Fa- ther of Waters, and several memorials to the national congress, asking for such legislation as, in the judgment of trans-NIississippians, should be enacted for the well-being of the western five sevenths of the country, will be com posed and adopted during the meeting.
 Possibly it is not known to most read CTS .thatsso large portion of the United States lies on the sunset side of the Mississippi, but according to the best authority the total land and water area of the states and territories, excluding Alaska, is 3,026,600 square miles, of which 2,243, l65 lie to the west, and S82,435 to the east of the big stream.
 The states of the Atlantic and gulf coasts, those of the Allegheny noun tain region, those of the Ohio valley and half of those washed by the Mis- sissippi itself, could be set down within the boundary line of the trans-Missis- sippian empire without touching it at any point and there would be an area of 1,3G0, 73O square miles left over. The total area of Europe is but 3,769, 702 square miles, and the space left in the trans-Mississippian region after the rest of the United States had been swallowed up would be enough to take in the British isles, Spain including the Canaries, Portugal, France, Belgium, Sthe Netherlands with Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Nor way, Sweden, Austria-Hungary Italy, Turkey. Greece and all of the minor states of Europe, Russia being the only country that would not be included. Even then there would be about as much left over as the so-called arid region of the west amounts to, now that the rans-Mississippians have re- deemed so much of it by the magic of irrigation.
 It is truly vast empire, whose pos abilities, in the way of future develop ment, are almost beyond computation There are, indeed, mountain regions, which cannot be brought under the in- fluence of the blow; there are sandy and dry expanses which even the in- genuity of the nineteenth or the twen- tieth century American may not be able to bring within the range of re- vivifying water, but even with these left out, the ns-Mississippian region is capable of supporting population many times exceeding the entire num- Der of people living in the United States at this time in comfort, even in luxury. -----
 The total population of this republic is now, perhaps, near 70,0O0,0O0. Ac- cording to the census of 1890 it was but little short of 030OO, GOO Less than 17,000, GOO then resided west of the Mis- sissippi, while more than 46,000,000 were domiciled in the east. If the trans Mississippian region were to support only as large a number in proportion as the region east now supports, more than 100, ,OO0, GOO would dwell between cur greatest river and the Pacific coast, and this vast number would be manifolded if the habitable portions were to be settled as thickly as are some countries, Belgium, for instance.
 It is to bring about such action on the part of the national government as will help to attract to the states and territories, whose representatives are to meet in St. Louis, the additional population needed for development that the congress has been called. It is expected that the attendance will number at least 1000. Every state