Why did 19th century imperialism rely on local elites to rule local area?

The local elites controlled the areas through their vast wealth that was accumulated through trading and exploiting the colonies. The governments relied on them because they were useful and would not bother the government as long as they were free to do their business. The government would let them build wealth and trade with the origin country, while the elites would just earn even more and sometimes even get royalty titles.

The transcontinental railroad provided a means of fast transportation. it cut a 6 month trip into 6 days, created jobs for many people and encouraged immigration. the homestead act played a huge role in western expansion; it allowed settlers to begin a fresh start, and gave them land in exchange for their residence for up to five years and a small fee.