The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-14
THE WESTERN CONGRESS.

The reader will find in another column
q report of the first days proceedings OF a
! body which has been convened to formu-
! late the wants of the western section of
! the United States, that portion which lies
| west of the river valleys. The congress
| represents the interests of q section which
contains about 100000 people, spread
over an area of 1,160,O00 square miles.
| Those interests are not always homo
geneous with the interests of the seastern
portion OF the country. Differences, deep
and radical, have been created by climate
physical geography and meridian. o.
many points legislation that may suit
the conditions of the country east of the
rivers smay be unsuitable for the region
west of the rivers. And yet all national
legislation affecting the well being of the
American people is the work of a single
body. in which the western section has
small representation. The object of the
present congress is to endeav0r 10 spe-
cialy unite western interests so that its
representatives may work together for the
common good.
1t is seen al glance that the usefulness
of such a congress will depend on the rea-
sOnableness of the Western demands. If
Western representatives go to Washing
ton to attempt to impose upon Eastern
members views which they CO not share or
regard as reasonable. hey will accomplish
| little. A steady adherence to such line
of action would be pretty sure to destroy
their usefulness. If the East finds here and
there in the West certain special interests
| frequently asking for things which cam OF
be granted, and protesting doctrines which
the great bulk of Eastern public men re-
pudiate, it will presently settle down TO
the conviction that Western demands are
not entitled to attention under any circum-
stances. That would be bad hole for the
Western congress to get US into
An important interest of the West a the
present time is irrigation. The chief OBJ
stacle to the growth Of large areas of the
country west Of the rivers is the ardity of
the arabic land. How many hundreds of
thousands of square miles of land in the
western country might be bearing crops.
but are not, for want of water. it is diff
cult TO state. 1t is certain that the area
which Is crying for water is very large, in
deed No one has yet formulated COM
preheusive plan of irrigation which has
commanded general assent.
There are other things than irrigation to
consider. The problem of getting our
products to market at a cost within the
means of such products to stand is worthy
of the best thought of the congress. Pro-
duction here or in Colorado and other
Western States is fettered by the expense
attached 10 reaching natural consumers.
Very often the producer finds that the
transportation charges take SO much Of
10 hot is IoFt g.
him. The transportation companies,
meantime, are paving interest On bonds
largely in excess of the money invested
An especial California interest is the i'm
provement of the waterways. If there is
any way by which gold mines may be
worked without injury to these water
WAYS. the industry should be revived
Perhaps the brOadest question. the one
that affects all the States represented in
the Western Congress most deeply. is that
of money. The decentralization of silver.
aud the consequent appreciation of gold,
! has been q severe blow 10 the West.