Year: 1863

VOLUME THREE


The encouragement given TIE SMOKY Hill
AND RErUBEcAs UxroS during the past two years
has been sufficient to induce us to commence
Volume Three. The newspaper business on the
frontier is a dubious one and when q paper
weathers the troubles and trials of the frontier
for two years, it may be considered as establish
ed. We are further tempted to continue its pub
lication, when we compare the support it has
received with that which it will receive shortly,
in consequence of the superior advantages of the
great valleys which, We may say, centres at this
place. We may say it bosstingly, a. will be
allowed, that the UNION appears better upon the
support of two hundred voters, than do papers
hailing from counties casting four and five hun
dred votes. This fact is sufficient encouragement
in itself


We desire 10 grow up with the country. A
Railroad is pushing towards US as rapidly as
possible. Our Salt Springs and Coal Mines are
attracting the attention of capitalists and mineral
men. Our farmers are rejoiced with abundant
crops; and the herdsman is seeking the advan-
tages of our rich and beautiful prairies. These
and q hundred other things are tending to work
out the decree of the Almighty, in making West
sections of the continent. Slowly, to be sure,
in consequence of the civil w,r, have the agen.
cies of civilization moved westward during the
past two years. Doubt as to the final issue of
the conflict arrested the progress of events, and
emigration to the West was partially stayed.
But doubt no longer exists. The Government
has been tested as if by fire. It's stability is
established, and onward things move again.
This temporary lull, and subsequent resumption
ofprogress, is aptly illustrated by the history of
the Railroad enterprise which is now rapidly
pushing towards US. In ene year from now,
the locomotive will add its mighty influence in
making our prairies to blossom as the rose."


In consequence of the influence and patronage
of Fort Riley. has always been the result
wherever that batch of corruption, the regular
army. exercised an influence, deepseated pro-
slavery rufian sentiment was created in Davis
county. 1t was therefore considerable of an
undertaking to establish paper of the radical
anti slavery tone of the UNION in such locality.
But We did it; and although that sentiment is
not entirely eradieated. We have the satifaction
Va huS"aAS euoS sousS SOV4 uoo OCSA 0SSOA4A' /
plished-if We are not ahead, we are about even. |
As an offspring of this sentiment, the traffic in
Rum was carried on to an extent shameful to |
humanity. We saw then that it and Ruffianism |
was leading the people to the devil, overriding |
all law and deeeney. We took up the cause of
the Church and School, believing them to be |
the only potent influences for the building up
of an intelligent and prosperous community, |
while We have boldly and bitterly fought the
seeds sown by the regular army of this Christian
nation. We desire to be frank. It is useless to |
hide the truth any longer. Men come here and
see it. There is not church building or school
are five groggeries. This fact has melted Us to
the bitterness with which we have fought them,
and not because we are fanatics. And these
influences have been at work to kill the UNION.
Indeed, We are surprised, when We consider the
influences at work against us. that we are still
enabled to continue its publication. But we are
RIGHT. The principle has life within it. Nor
are we discouraged. We commence this volume
full of hope that shortly Davis County will be
dotted over with churches and school-houses,
and intelligence and morality become charac-
teristics of our people. A great work is to be
accomplished. And we shall continue the fight
until it is accomplished. Rum and Rufiianism
must succumb we never shall.


In view of the opposition to US. We may be |
pardoned for stating some of the claims the
UNION has upon the people of Western Kansas. |
And first, newspaper is the index to . commu- |
nity-the representative of its energy. And
hence when you see bright, neat looking. well |
printed paper, you feel better sati6ed with its
locality than if it was a bedaubed, besmeared |
looking emanation of blacksmithshop. The
UNION is far ahead of about two-thirds of the
papers in the State, in this respect. We have
the most complete local column. which is copied
from every week. thereby giving our town and
country q most desirable prominence. We es-
tablished the paper ne an instrument of advanc-
ing the interests of Western Kansas, and the
following is a sample. among others, of what we
have done, and which will some day tell. Last
winter, it was suggested. through our columns,
that the State pay . bonus to manufacturing
companies who would work our Salt Springs it
was taken up and agitated by the press of the
State and finally resulted in law to tha: effect


We want larger support; and it is not
breach of modesty to set forth our claims to that
support. The greater the circulation the paper
has, the greater will be its influence. We hope
our friends will aid rs in increasing the useful
ness of The SMOKY HUI AND RxrrBLrcAS UNox.