The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-01-05

THERE is a growing divergence perceptlple
in the Republican ranks between its Eastern
and Western wings. This sentiment OF an
t4gonism has for years been growing stronger,
and only the necessity of self preservation mas
prevented it from dividing into hopeless fac
tons. There are widely differing political
elements at the bottom Of this tendency to-
wards sectionalism, and which must before
long become too strong to be controlled by
ordinary party ties. This feeling was mani
fest in 1876, where, at Cincinnati, the combi-
nations for supremacy in the party took a
bias of Eastern and Western sectionallsm,
and which finally resulted in q compromise
which was a virtual victory for the latter sec
ton, again, in the bitter struggle of Grant,
supported heavily by Eastern influence, for
supremacy in the Chicago Convention, Great
ed a storm which was again reduced to q
compromise, and again with q performance
of Western influence. There was a condition
of apparent peace on the surface for awhile,
but since the election there is q bitter under
current of hostile feeling becoming more and
more apparent, and the Grant forces are SO
violent in their denunciation of those who
| opposed and defeated them that they have
aroused the opposition to a sense OF DANGER
which threatens to eliminate in drawing the
lines on an East and West sectional issue.
There are many indications that Western In
huence and policy will assert the supremacy
it really holds, and the attitude Of Garfield
toward Conkling and others Of the non-pro-
gressive and conservative element OF the Re-
publican party, if the telegraph properly rep
resents his assertions, indicates that he will
favor that which was instrumental in his
nomination. The Democratic partyis affect
ed by the same conditions, although, not be-
ing dominant, they are not SO apparent. We
believe that this growing sectional divergence
between the agricultural interests Of the
West and the commercial interests of the
East will finally result in complete antagon-
ism, and that it will assume a virulent form
when the next financial cataclysm shall de-
stroy the present commercial balance of the
country and place the great labor interests OF
the West in the condition of pauperism which
they assumed after the disaster of rs. 1t is
the fact that the West is poor, and composed
| principally Of the working classes, while
the East controls the capital, which in broad
terms is simply the surplus Of production,
that is the real cause of the opposition Of the
two sections, and Che poverty stricken condi-
ton condition of the South will only add viz
ulency to the trouble when it comes. There
is already a feeling of widespread alarm that
the surplus labor and energy of the country
is being tied up in 9 form which cannot be
drawn from when it is required-as required
i will be on the first succession of poor crops,
or a cessation of foreign demand shall close
the outlet for our products, and place them
in the category Of non-productive or wasted
labor. A vast amount of our previous accu-
mutations and the labor of q million men is
being swallowed up in railroad and other en-
terprises which will not be available, so far
as a product is concerned, in q quarter of 3
century, and should we happen to be in need
Of resources meanwhile, the result would be
confusion and disaster.
It is useless: however, to lament hese posi-
bilities, as they are dependent upon condi-
ions beyond human control. Machinery
and steam have enormously increased the pro-
ductive capacity of the world, and its power
for consumption has not increased in any
thing like the same ratio, and the difference
has been drawn from the laboring classes,
crI f1,r1 on o,flo+ ~ ro,-,roJ,ospr ala
ments, which in Europe is 10, 800, 600 soldiers,
and in America is expressed by al army Of
tramps, and another engaged in what are
termed ''non-productive" enterprises. And
Notwithstanding this enormou difference,
there is a constant increase in productions
Quantity which seems to be constantly in
c~reasing in spite Of the enormous destruction
of property by war and the enforced idleness
of millions Of men in the past seven years.
This surplusage may be reduced to equilibri-
um either by destruction, as by war, Or by
inaction, Or by a continuance in "non-pro-
ductive'' enterprises. The first is the natural
and most probable result, and is a natural
consequence Of the second proposition, for
%inaction for any length Of time is impossible,
and this ~inaction is itself the result Of ssnon-
productive enterprises-another term for
wasted labor. 1t is this wasted labor, ana
its financial equivalent that constitutes all
that is oppressive in capital to labor; it
is oppressive because it is false, and yet
exacts Its recognition in the way of tax
and interest, and this oppression and its re-
%sultant, resistance, is all there is in the nais-
understood expression Of 'Scapital against la
bor," for there can be no conflict between
forces which are necessary for each others
existence.
But this inevitable conflict must find some