The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-06-05

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limited States was then practically
eae of the Mississippi River. There
were but two states west OF the Mis-
sissippi River-Missouri and Arkan-
sas. Our total population was IL
100000, with less than 100000 west
Of the Allegheny mountains. But
today we have 100000 people in
the United States, and 45,ooo,OOO OF
them are in that territory which was
then called the West and the unex'
plored country beyond.
why in 1860 we had but 100000
people in this country, and only VI
600 900 west OF the Allegehenies.
We encouraged and protected manu-
facture and agriculture; we passed
homestead laws; gave public lands
to the people and to aid in the con.
struction OF the Pacific railroads.
This legislation covered the whole
country and gave an impetus to ev-
ery kind Of industrial development;
and with the settlement Of the old
question of checking the extension
of slavery, it made the East center
NJ manufacture and the Great Ameri-
can Desert and the Staked Plains the
granary of the world. Even the
mountain fastnesses have been con-
verified into gardens, and millions OF
enterprising people there are still
unable to estimate their wealth and
opportunity.
| I have no regret for the liberality
of the government IN giving away
public lands, for this liberality
brought such results as would not
have been recorded in many genera
tons under the old policy OF having
the government hoard its public lands
and wait for purchasers. The loss
es to the government were relative.
The railroads and the homesteads
were tremendous factors in the build
ing Of a nation; and today nearly one
half of our western people are there,
making two-thirds Of all the wealth
taken from the soil and two-fifths Of
all the manufactured products Of this
country. Yes; the government has
been liberal and literally has 1t been
rewarded.
| We we're liberal in our immigration
policy, and millions Of men and wo-
men from every civilized country I'M
der the sun took advantage Of that
liberal policy to come here and be-
come American citizens. Who can
look over this American common.
wealth and tell from whence came
the blood of the great body Of the
American citizenship? We nave de-
veloped men from those who here
first learned the meaning Of the word
manhood, and we have developed in
dustry, skill, enterprise and intelli-
gence in keeping with American citi-
zenship. It is in this new West that
we have the lowest percentage OF
illiteracy to be found in the United
States. When am inclined to grow
pessimistic after reading some OF the
wailings and criticisms Of latter-day
economists and reformers, / take
down the map OF the United States
and a volume of the census reports
and find there the realization OF the
widest dreams Of the greatest Opt.
mists who ever lived; and am sat.
isfied that the mistakes OF the past
were. after all, rather fortunate mis-
takes.
This marvellous development of the
West, however, demoralized agricul-
tural conditions in the East and in
the older countries across the sea =.
1t demoralized the western people,
too, for time, because they could
not measure their own opportunities
with older conditions that prevailed
elsewhere. The opening Of the new
prairie lands Of the West made com
petition in the East embarrassing and
sent millions of acres in New Eng
land, the North Atlantic. the South
Atlantic States back to the wild
lands and abandoned farms.
The House of Representatives
where the membership is based OF
population, tells the story Of our de
velopment as q nation. In 1910, wheI
, went to the West, the old Soutf
had 9S representatives.; New England
3 New York, New Jersey and Pennsyl
4 vania had 112 and all the countr,
}. west of the Allegheny mountains hat
v only 80. Today, in the same grouping
n the old South has 1903 representative
}. the East 1874, and the West 2O2; ant
n and there are 115 members now II
t the House who come from state!
h that were unknown in 1910.