The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-09-29
DEMOCRACY DOOMED.
View of a New York Tribune
Correspondent.
sTRAsGLEo BY ITS ERRORS
a pi.~rsdiszsHe Past and Hopeless
Fature-A Mastery Summing up Of
ou- Political Situation

The staff CORES osient Of the New YORK
Tri5azs. who has been writing up the four
rex states. sends 70 his PAPER tie following
letter from olyupiS, under Gate G. sepseI-
Ter 3.
OLYxFIs. sept. AIS In the pakcfss, a.
in Montana. 20 in the rew state of Wash
iugfon, tie Democracy enters into tie con
tss, for state supremacy with disc-ssiii-
abe past and q hopeless fatu-e. Eastern
people are often heard 10 wonder why II Is
so nearly impossible for the Democracy 20
obtain fcothold in the Western states
The reason les IN the inherent character Of
the party not less than in the specific acts
81 kind offensive 10 the West Of which i
has been guilty. It's general tone and
character have rendered II objectionable TO
q peopse upon whom the burden has fallen
Of creating great things ont Of little or
nothing. II there Is any one policy more
thoroughly Democratic than another. i :
the policy Of demanding that every one
shall take care of himseii. This policy lay,
take il. az the bottom OF the party'S early
states rights theories IL certainly lies
a. the bottom o. those consres-
sionaI policies By which il always
seeks 10 prevent Federal legislation in
tended 70 bu.id up and assist new and
struggling sections OF the country. The
n2kotas. Montana and Washington are al
Of them going 10 come into the Union as
Republican states. They viii elect Repub-
liean congressman and Republican Iegisla-
lures, which will in turn elect Republican
United States senator's The only one of
these states in which the Democracy hopes
10 make anything Ike substantial fight is
Montana. and their strength there is simply
the tail-end of an oid-time Democratic
party built up in the early DAYS of the ter
titory when ii was settled by NisSourians.
As explained sometime ago, its strength
IN Montana has diminished in a regularly
increasing ratio ever year since the North
ern Pacific railroad came into Montana.
until today ii Is the party OF the minority,
though the margin between the parties is
concedediy small
The people of the country ought 10 TN
derstand the philosophy of the Democ-
racy's failure in the West Its position
here is the logical result of substantial and
easily recognized causes. Let me Illus
:rate. A few weeks ago committee of the
United States Senate, composed of Senator
Kansas. and Senator Reagan. of Texas,
came all through the arid West and over
the Northern Pacific into this state, clear
through 10 the coast. They were investi-
eating subject concerning which | have
written You freely-that of national irriga-
ton, the construction through this entire
arid belt OF great canals and reservoirs in
tended 70 supply the farmer hereafter to
<af he ~f~ ~
land now lying idle and tenantless, from
which the government now derives no rev.
enue. but which are claimed by the West
ern people and by Major Powell, Of the
geological survey, to be capable of mag
nificent production, with the water neces-
sary TO make the crops grow. The Senate
instructed its committee 10 inquire into
this matter and to see for itself what the
possibilities were, whether or not the
claims OF the people were true, what the
cost OF such great waterworks would prob
ably be. and whether il would be the part
OF wisdom for the Federal government 10
interest itself in the matter. AT various
points along the course taken by the COM
mittee the senator's made addresses to the
people, and IN every one OF these addresses
Mr.. Reagan took occasion 20 saw that he
the general government TO 90 into adven-
lures OF this kind that they were in their
nature affairs OF the state. and that each
state ought To provide for its own interests.
II there ever was typical Democrat he is
Senator Reagan, and his words upon the
subject OF national irrigation furnish a
clear explanation of the reasons why the
West dlstrusts the Democratic party.
4 10
that the government shall under.
take to irrigate the arid belt. They
only ask that the subject shall be fairly and
fully considered. But they know that the
Democracy enters upon the consideration
OF it and of all other helpful policies with a
strong and inherent prejudice against
them. In Iord, it is no, a helpful party.
and they, bSeng poor people engaged in a
mighty strukSle with new country which
however full y magnificent opportunities
however ric1 in raw materials, neyerthe-
less requires OF them the most hercnIean
lahors for its development. want Ia he
helped. They need help They know that
the future will justify all their applications
for help. They know they can raw 100 xeS
80 per cent interest ON all the help they
get. bat the time when they must be
helped, II al al, Is today, and they know
that the Democratic party stands between
them and all helpful enterprises on the
part OF the government. That is the reason
| why they have no Use for the Democracy
1oB have heard time and again that the
! people o. the West are opposed To a protec-
/ tive taFih. Every election upon that issue
! has, OF course, afforded clear sIemonStra-
| ton 20 the contrary. but nevertheless the
! free-traders keen up the cry that the West
/ Is farming country, that il wants ehsap
/ goods, that Il feels the protective tariff n
/ be merely ar Eastern conspiracy by which
the Manufacturers of New England and
I the Middle States are enriched at the ex.
penSe Of the consuming Western country
This story ycu will find in almost eveyx
( issue OF almost every gree-trade Journal in
+ America. There never wa q falser claim
II the Mills bin and the Senate suhstitnta
bill that were before the last congress Il
they and they only were before the pear1s
Of she West as alternatives. an elec;lo,,
upon them would Re carried bv the senate
substitute han hs'y TO enc. No inteiI;rent
man can come out here and stldv this
question and arrive At any othar
conclusion Democratic delegate
has represented this territory in the chr.
/ gresS al Washington for tao talI terms am
until The election IL isSS tie WAS slecte3
! IN each instance upon proposition deal
ing With she Northern Pacific railroad
! he people 81 Washington felt that thew
had numerous grievances against this cor.
porS,ion- dare say they had. II j.