Year: 1869

This subject is being discussed with much earnest
ness by the Western papers The drift of population
production and of trade from East to West renders
it evident that the great commercial metropolis of
this country must ultimately be somewhere within the
limits of the vast water she'd known as the Missis
sipp valley. The immense money power now cen.
tered in New York will, for time defer this result
but only for time. That the capital should be at
this commercial metropolis is generally conceded We
shall watch this contest between the East and West
with some interest. The latter has been but reAec
ton of the former for years past-in fact have all
ways thought that the Western people had all the pre-


JUDGES of the easter without much of his native
shrewdness They, like the Southern people, have been
hewers of wood and drawers of water for the sharp
Yankee Will they ever cast off their swaddns
clothes and loose from the maternal apron strings


St. Louis to have the preference in this ques
ton. The Democrat Of that city Radical paper, by
the way, thus speaks:


Now, as to St. Louis some of the most powerful


interests in the United States would be enlisted at
once. The steamboat interest embracing all who are
concerned in the improvement of Western waters,
from St. Paul to rOutre and from Fort Renton
to Pittsburg would realise at that its prospect of
obtaining reasonable aid from the Government would
be Infinitely increased by the removal of the capital
to the centre of internal steam navigation. The rail
road interest," of which this moment St. Louis is the
natural centre, embracing eighteen thousand miles of
road now in operation, and not less than fifteen thou
sand in progress in contemplation would instantly
realise the Importance of removing the seat of Gov
ernment from the shadow of New York and Pennsyl-
vania to closer proximity with the enormous de-
mands of the great West The railroads centerng at
St. Louis, and those alone, WELD powerful infu
ence in any Congress to aid such a measure.


New York will, of course, seek to divide the West
by stimulating a rivalry already too sharp between
our most influential cities. The Times, half in Jest,
tries to touch the local pride Of Cincinnati Now,


friends of the great valley, have not long enough
suffered the little Of territory of the Ale
ghanies to monopolise the power? Can we not point
to thousand instances in which legislation has been
shaped by Eastern lobbies not for the welfare of the
nation? Do not know that by uniting its forces
the Mississippi valley transfer the of empire
WHILE if we divide between wranging localities, the
solid Atlantic vote will delay the change for another
decades This is question to be seriously consid-
ered-shall the great West unite now, and take the
sceptre, or shall it fritter away its strength IN local
quarres and take ten years of Eastern mastery?


The Southern feels that in St. Louis he has at
sincere sympathy in all his trials and difficulties
and the brightest example of all successful progress
from the old system to the In any city located
on soil formerly free he would expect harsher tone
and less liberal spirit though in no Northern city
would he find solid and unwavering Republi-
canism The North would justly demand in the future
capital proved and unfiuchng loyalty the South would
ask kindly feeling and liberal spirit.
In what other city both be found in like