The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-17
WESTERN SUPREMACY.

| The west is characterized by large
ness. Mountains, rivers, railways.
ranches, herds, crops, business trans
actions, ideas; even mems virtues and
vices are cyclOpean. All seem to have
taken a touch of vastness from the
mighty horizon. Western stories are
Oh the same large scale, so large, in
ern men to believe one of them. They
have q secret suspicion that even the
best atteSted are inflated exaggera-
tions, which, pricked by investigation,
would burst, leaving behind q very
small residium of fact
BY ''the west is meant that portion
of the United States west Of the Mis-
sissippi, not including Alaska, unless
so specified, for though that territory
has vast resources which will some day
add much 10 our wealth, the national
destiny is to be settled this side OF
Alaska.
By actual measurement and accurate
surveying it has been found that OF
the twenty-five states and territories
west of the Mississippi, only three are
as small as all New England. Mon
east to Cleveland ON the west, and eX-
tend far enough south to include Rich
mond, Va. New Mexico Is larger than
the United Kingdom of Great Britain
M no
ment of Texas is nearly equal to the
distance from New Orleans TO Chicago,
or from Chicago to Boston. The two
Dakotas might be carved into a half
dozen kingdoms of Greece.
Place the 100000 inhabitants of the
United States in Texas, and the popula-
ton would not be as dense as that Of
Germany. Put them in the Dakotas,
and the population would not be as
dense as that of England and Wales
Place them in New Mexico, and the
density of population would not be as
great as that of Belgium.
For every acre east of the Mississippi
we have nearly two and a half west
of it. There are extensive regions in
the west, which, because of rocks or
lava beds or alkali or altitude or lack
Of rain are unfit for the plow; but they
afford much OF the finest grazing coun-
try in the world, much valuable tim
Der aud mineral wealth which is enOr-
nous. Useless land, though much in
the aggregate, is far less than is COM
monty supposed, and in comparison
with wealth producing lands is almost
insignificant The vast region east OF
the Rocky mountains though once the
home Of the Great American Desert"
really contains very little useless land.
We have all heard of the bad Lands
Of the Dakotas. but they comprise only
about 10000 acres out of 9i.52S. 600 In
rhe two states. aud even these lands
are an excellent stock-range Ii is
often said that the Kansas lands near
the Colorado border are alkaline; but
the state geologist says that in fifteen
years of exploration he has found but
two springs containing alkalies. and
has never seen ten acres " land in
one place which has been injured by
IT, There is perhaps as little waste
land in Kansas as in Illinois.
a considerable portion Of the land
east of the Mississippi is not arabic.
In New England. New York and Penn
sylvania. there are ~. 800 square miles
OF unimproved lands. II Is fair in
ference that in the old states where
land has been long in demand. 50 much
would not remain unimproved. unless
generally incapable OF improvement.
Throughout the many mountain ranges
Of the entire Appalachian system. there
Is much waste land and more thar is
not arabic. For every acre in the east.
had as well as COED there X another IN
tie west capable OF producing food:
and IN addition, a timber area Of 900
coo squire miles. net including the nag