The morning call., 1890-04-06
LOCAL AND NATIONAL INTERESTS

Calif1rnians may learn a lesson from the
proceedings of a grange meeting which has
been lately held at Dover, in Delaware.
The meeting declared that too much land
had been devoted exclusively to peach
growing: that more diversified hus bandry
was necessary. and went on to observe that
as there is an overproduction of agricul-
tural products 1.-THE grangers protest
against Congressional appropriations for
the irrigation OF Western lands" In other
words. these Delaware farmers want the
arid lands of the West to remain arid, for
fear that if they were cultivated, the prod
ucts Of Delaware would command a lower
price in the market.
This is selfshness run mad. 1t is true
that charity begins at home and that the
citizen who looks ont for his own prosperity
is.fn reality the most useful member of the
COMMUNITY. But the rule is limited by the
reservation that the citizen must not try to
sacrifice others in seeking his own gain. If
he cannot thrive except by sacrificing
others his prosperity becomes an injury and
not a benefit to the public. And the
Others" whom he must consider in the
matter, are not the people of the small
locality which he inhabits. but the people
of the whole country. The farmers Of Dover,
about fer a way to make their lands more
productive than they are, but if they cannot
accomplish that end without booming lands
in other States to perpetual infertility they
merely make themselves odious and ridicu-
lOuS BY embarking in the enterprise.
1t not unfrequently happens that at
meeting held in this State to advocate or to
denOunce a certain measure of public
policy speakers argue the question as if no
interest was to be considered except the in
terest of California. That is evidence of
State loyalty, which is always a creditable
sentiment. But the least reflection viii
show that such line of argument is calcu-
lated to defeat the speakers object. If we
say that we want o law passed for the pur-
pose of benefting this State and that we
are Indifferent to the fact that it would
be injurious to New York or Illinois, we
must expect that New York and Illinois
will oppose it and that our representations
will be met with contemptuOus derision at
Washington, as narrow-minded and selfish
The moment State or city plants itself
on its own interest and openly shuts it's
eyes to the interest of other States and
cities it handicaps itself and destroys its
usefulness. Everybody combines to defeat
such ungenerous selishness
All human government depends upon NUT
ual concession and compromise. In a vast
country like the United States there is a
great variety of climates. and products, and
interests, and industries, and races. a sys-
TEN Of laws which would suit one interest
will not suit another; and yet, under our
system. we must have one fabric of Iegisla-
tion for all. Thus, if we are to get along
together, Se2h section must be prepared to
she ffllce something for the common good
and no section, if it wants to get anything
for itself, must proclaim its indifference to
the wants Of the others. Members Of Con-
greSs often try to make themselves solid
with their constituents by going out Of their
way to advertise on the floor Of the House
their devotion to small provincial interests
and their readiness to sacrifice national
considerations to local wishes. Such n
course Of conduct ought really to be fatal
to the member who follows it, as it cannot
but impair his influence and DESTROY his
credit with his fellow-members The menu
Der whose horizon in the House is bounded
by the limits of his own constituency may
achieve little popularity among the more
ignorant OF his supporters, but his political
career Will be short. The men who succeed
each other term after term in Congress can
see beyond the boundaries of their own dis
trIet They gradually acquire Power Other
members consult them and seek alliances
with then. They become known as men-
bers of national caliber. whom Congress
cannot afford to lose. And the very con-
stituency which more shortsighted Repre-
sentatiyes tried to fatter by devotion to
local whims is wise enough to discover for
Its own sake that it must re-elect man of
national reputation