154 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



of a people — it takes money, leisure, incentives to study, and good 

 climatic conditions. The mass of those communities that have been 

 most distinguished for a high civilization, and for leading the 

 thought of the world, have occupied regions highly favored bv 

 nature. Witness for example, Mesopotamia, Palestine, Egypt, 

 Hindoostan, Greece, Italy, etc. As already observed Nebraska is 

 the peer in many particulars of the best of these regions. It has 

 no sea coast, but its soil is one of the best, easiest worked and most 

 lasting in the world. It has no lofty mountains, but it has a variety 

 of landscape which for quiet beauty is unequaled. Its atmosphere 

 is exceptionally clear and pure, and the extremes of temperature 

 are only such as are most promotive of good health and energy of 

 character. While there are no great lakes, there is a superabun- 

 dance of fresh water in creeks, river, springs, and rills. Its health 

 conditions never lead to stolidity, but to intellectual activity. 



There has not yet been time for this climate to exercise its full 

 influence on the people. That it will, in a marked and happy way, 

 affect the people in the course of time, is as certain as any other 

 fact in nature. The true Nebraskian does not yet exist, because 

 even if born here he is yet too much affected by entailed peculiari- 

 ties. And the great body of those that are living here were born 

 and married in the east. Our skies, rivers, soils, surroundings are 

 all moulding the people, but they have not had time to perfect the 

 work. Look for example at the type of people that the States 

 bordering on the upper Mississippi have produced. The true type 

 of American character is no longer the east, but the west. And 

 this is true because while in the east there is more wealth and 

 outside polish, in the west there is more originality, more inde- 

 pendence in manners and opinions, more freedom from restraint 

 and more sincerity. The west has already so affected the life of 

 the people that a young man coming here from the east 

 will be more ambitious, more active, more successful, more 

 courageous, and more of a man than if he had remained in 

 his native State. Absence from the sea-board does not lessen 

 but rather increases western energy. The railroad cultivates 

 the mind, requires as high an order of character, to say the 

 least, as the sea. As high an order of ability is needed to work 

 a railroad train as to manage a ship. A brakesman in character is 

 more than the peer of the sailor. The west is checkered with 

 railroads which make the people sociable, as well as carry their 



