The Washington herald., 1916-06-03

sources and the complex diversified
tion Of its life; but beyond IL, to the
west and south, lay regions and COM
munities of another kind, at another
stage of development, agricultural, for
the most part up 10 the very ridges
Of the Rockies. or else set apart to
some special interest like that OF min
ing or Of cattle raising on a great
scale.
Throughout all the vast continent TO
the east Of the Mississippi as to the west
contrasts were, indeed, modulated: hard
ly anywhere was the transition sharr
! from one set Of social and economic con-
ditions to another. But, taken upon the
large view, they were very great very
radical, very significant openly prophetic
Of differences OF opinion and OF inter.
est.
Settlement had crossed the continent
but always with a thin and scattered
front. its masses neither homogeneous
nor uniform. its processes hasty. imper.
feet, crude until the third or fourth gen.
GRAFTON. In many places settlers were
yet but in the first genera ton. Line after
line to be found upon the decennial
maps Of the census office. to mark the
frontier Of fixed settlement decade by
decade, was still 70 be traced in differ
ences Of habit and development between
community and community from east to
west. not yet effaced by the feet OF
those who had crossed them to make
homes beyond. Communities were still
making and to be made
Conditions as IL OF a first day Of set.
tlement. conditions such as had once ex.
listed upon the coast Of the Atlantic in
the far-away days OF the first colonies
conditions which had been shifted gen.
Grafton by generation from east 10 west
across the whole breadth Of the great
continent, were still to be observed in
hastily built towns at the far West
upon broad cattle ranches, in rough min.
ing villages, in new resions upon the vast
western plains where the plough had but
just begun 10 break the surface Of the
virgin land into fruitful burrows The
land itself, by reason OF its own infinite
variety Of character and resource. com.
manded changes of life and diversity OF
occupation.
There were broad tracts OF country
which were entirely without cities OF
centres Of population or any industry
which brought men together IN intimate
cooperative groups. tracts given over
by nature to the farmer and the grazier
There were States where communitiea
sharply contra sted in life and motive
| were set side by side, 10 the sore perpleN
fly of those who sought to make thei
laws and reconcile their Interests: place
mines which poured the refuse OF thei
operations down the slopes Of the west
ern mountains upon smiling farms which
they were like to ruin; towns perchec
high within the peaks Of the towering
Rockies. where precious metals were Z
be found. which Yet lay within the samt
political boundaries with keepers Of sheer
and cattle in Il - plains below. centres o.
trade and Of manufacture, lying Upor
some great watercourse or by the coast,
of the western ocean, which seemed hard.
ly more than huge trading posts on tn,
routes OF commerce from east TO west
from west to east. so little intimate par
did they have in the life of the rura
| people amidst whose prairie farms o.
| broad orchards Of fruit they were set.
Monday The Money Question.