Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-24
4 reaNSy,xsisSrprr rSusrr,ov

I y IN NlNNNiNNtNNii'ff fsNITlNfffUN.
The construction Of the transcontlncu-
! tai railroads gave the first powerful
/ impetus TO the development Of the trans
/ mississippi country. twenty-five years
ago the population OF the states and ter
ritorics west of the Mississippi was
G,435 tGT and the states aud territories
west of the Missouri were credited by
| the national ccnstls with population Of
! 1.i02 S9G I'm 1890 the transmississippi
states contained a population Of 15,1IO,-
3l5, while the population of the states
/ and territories west of the Missouri ag-
| grcgated j.9lI.213. In 1880 there were
only twcntv-one miles of railroad in the
| country west OF lie Mississippi. Today
the railroad mileage In the same region
exceeds 5000 miles, of which $1,000
miles are boastcd by the country west
of the Missouri.
The marvellous resources of this vast
empire were only in measure dis
played at the Worlds Columbian expo
sition. In fact the exhibits of the west
ern states and territories were to Il
great extent ovcrshadowcd by the in
tcrnational exhibits made at Chicago.
OF the hundreds Of thousands of people
who viewed the Worlds fair compara
lively few carried away with them a
distinct impression of the productive in
dustries of the transmississippi states.
Even people who live IN this section
and who have contributed to its growth
do not grasp their extent and magni-
tude.
The inspiration for the Cotton States
exposition now being held in Atlanta
doubtless lay in the conviction that an
Interstate exposition would go further
toward promoting the development of
the south than any other single agency.
That the Judgment of the projectors of
the Cotton States exposition was emf
nently sound is attcsted by the success
that has attended this great undertake
ing as regards both the number and
variety of the exhibits and the financial
management of the venture. Not only
have the people of the cotton
states displayed commendaIie zeal
in contributing toward its success
with their displays. but several
of the Atlantic states notably New
York and Pennsylvania, are creditably
represented. The Atlanta exposition
has drawn hundreds of thousands of
visitors from every section of the coun-
try and will be the agency by which
vast amount of new capital will be
transplanted into the south.
south by the Atlanta exposition can be
accomplished for the west by Il trans
mississippi exposition. With Il popula
ton of 15.OOO,O00 to draw on and Il
country prolific in material wealth. a
transmississippi exposition would be an
assured success from its very inception.
Such an exposition would give the i'm
petus to the westward trend of popula
ton and capital for which the people of
this section have been striving. 1t would
make known to all the world the capa-
bilties of the great west and revive
activity in every branch of industry
and production.
The Transmississippi congress, which
convenes in this city during the present
week. is the proper body to take the
initiative in formulating the plan for a
exposition. Its recon-
mendation in this matter would have
great weight with both the state and |
national legislatures. Without disparag- |
ing any other city ambitious to secure |
the location of such an interstate expo
sition, The Bee believes that the claims |
Of Omaha are far superior to those of all
other transmississippi points. Its loca-
ton in the heart of the continent, mid
way between New York and San Fran
cisco, makes 1t alike accessible to peO-
pie east and west. Its railroad facilities
in every direction are as perfect as
those of any city in the Mississippi val
ley north of st. Louis. 1t is the center
)f the great agricultural belt and within
1 days reach by rail of the mining re-
sion of Colorado, Wyoming and South
Dakota, and within two days reach of
he great mining states west of the
Rockies. Omaha is as near to the Puget
sound country as is st. Paul, and nearer
" 500 miles to San Francisco and
southern California.
1t is hardly necessary to add that
whatever is required of Omaha or
exposition a success, the
business men Of this city will carry out
o the letter.