Why was the north opposed to the cheap sale of land in the west?

The North was opposed to the cheap sale of land in the West because they feared that if land in the West was sold at a cheap price, then workers would move to the West. If too many workers moved to the west then factories, and companies would go out of business.

there was no profit in it for most northerners and it would provide a way for wage slaves to find opportunities somewhere besides in the north. They wanted cheap labor and the west would slim the pickings provided by desparation and poverty.