Free Land and Opportunity

Other important factors in our economic development were free land and diversified natural resources. In these America has been particularly blessed. Lack of capital prevented none from making progress in America. For the first 250 years the immigrant to our shores knew that the door of opportunity was wide open. Landing with barely enough money to pay transportation to this chosen destination, and with no hindrance other than that of being a stranger in a new country, both land and employment were to bo had for the asking. Westward Ho! - Through the liberality of our Government and the vast and areas open for settlement there was established and developed the largest and richest agricultural territory now under cultivation in the world. For nearly 100 years following the War of Independence the cry was "Westward Ho!" By families and by groups the creaking ox-drawn schooners wended their way slowly toward the setting sun. Driving the Indians and wild game before them, they cut the forest, broke the sod, planted, harvested, built home, school, church, and town, preparing the way for tho next step in our progress - the railroad.