Pueblo chieftain., 1921-07-01
CONTEMPLATING MISSOURI

significant human event than the Rev
olution. and we have nothing to re-
member 1t by except few bad melo-
dramas, and a few novels, mos: OF
which are not much better
The exploration and conquest of the
West is one of the most thrilling and
astonishing things in human history. IT
has not produced a single first-class
novel or poem. An enormous cheap
literature OF paper back novels and
magazine stories has been written
about it, which is one Ions falsifica.
tion. containing nothing of the real
quality of pioneer life. Buffalo Bills
Wild West show, perhaps, is the near
est thing to a work Of art that the
western movement produced.
OF late, there seems to have dawned
In this country certain consciousness
of Its literary poverty Critics tell us
that we are having a literary awaken
Ing. No doubt the great vogue of his
torical pasesnts is part of this
awakening, Missouri, perhaps without
intending to do so, is contributing her
share to this intellectual renascence by
digging up and celebrating her own
history. For the stuff which all of
these local historians and pageant
writer's will bring to light is the raw
they create is a force TO sustain the
material of art. and the interest which
artist when he comes along.
Missouri's stirring Past
Missouri surely offers him a great
the heart OF America, and the Missis-
sippi. which marks its border. is Amer
ica's great aorta. All of the three
great races which helped in the con-
quest of the new continent-English
Spanish, French-sailed down this
great river, fought and explored. only
n few generations ago, over the ground
where Missouri's farms and cities are
today. De Soto. La Sale, Lewis and
Clark. the Boones-such is the success
sion of heroes who found the way to
Missouri. And when the eastern halt
OF the continent had been suOGued.
Missouri became the starting point for
the exploration and conquest Of the
western half. Independence, now a
quiet suburb of Kansas city, was long
the starting point for the Santa Fe
trail. by which the Yankee and Span
ish ports OF America were connected
This road. over which for half a cen
tury a great commerce was carried on
in wagons. opened UP the Southwest {
and led TO the Mexican War. Thous-
ands of Missourians travelled over It.
In fact. II is doubtful II any state in
the Union furnished more OF the pio-
neers for tho conquest and settlement
of America west of the great river.
Missourians fourht tho Mexican War
too. for Kearney's command was made
up largely OF them. A NiHsourian In
those days was a very distinctive kind
Of man. famous for his racy speech.
his cautiousness. his marvellous com
mand over the reluctant mule and tho
deadly rifle. I'm from Missouri and
you gotta show me" originated back
in those days. Tho,e hardy gentle
mon who cleaned up the buffalo and
kicked tho red man off tho prairie
were largely from Missouri. Missouri
ans and Texans rnost of whose par
cnts came from MissourD made up =
large part n tho band OF pioneer
cattlemer who brough, up tho first
lofghorn herds from Mexico. and made
the first long drives tn the cow-towns
OF lurid memory on the Missouri river
There is no room here to describe
tho crucial ?art Missouri played In the
Civil War. nor tho par; she has played
since In the Industrial and political
life Of tho country. Every grca, ma
tional even, has affected her. No state
has story moro significant. nor more
typically American. Missouri may
we'll be proud to tell Il to the world.