The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-10-06

tue puhilc purse, eiSher by subsidies
or by protection against competi
ton, Of some particular industry { as
silk manufsetare) will be for the
general good, and he may shape the
imperial policy accordingly.
But in a Democratic and represen-
tative government such a course be-
comes much more difficult, and the
difficulty is enormously enhanced if
the nation embraces the greater part
of a continent, with heterogeneous
population and a great variety of
apparently conflicting industrial in
terests 1t is not the theory of
Americans that the people can elect
from the different localities of so
vast country an assembly of states
men large minded enough to disre.
gard provincial interests and to con
slider only those of the Nation. If
any one ever entertained a theory so
absurd, it should have been long
since demolished by actual exper-
fence. Satrists ridieule the Repre-
sentative who devotes his Congress
sional energies to serving his "Dees-
trict.' But it was for such service
that his "Deestriet" elected him.
And usually his capacity fits him
for this and nothing more. IL is
rare to find an educator whose views
of general education are not deter
mined by the conditions Of his par
ticular institution; or a clergyman
whose judgment respecting the
Church universal is not colored, if
not wholly formed, 10y the limitations
of his denomination Even newspa
per editors have been known to have
their judgments warped by the inter
ests of their readers. And in Con
gress of over four hundred me bers
of average intellectual aud moral
ability, it is wholly unreasonable to
look for more than two or three, if
SO many. who are able to compre
bend the interests Of the whole Ma
tion, or TO disregard those of their
own locality. il National and local
interests seem to demand different
policies. The theory of Nation
founded, as the United States is, on
local self-government, is that the
people Will elect. not Congress
composed of statesmen large minded
enough to comprehend National in
terests and disinterested enough to
sacrifice local to National welfare,
but = Congress in which, by means
Of the collision OF local interests. Ma
tional welfare will be, though some
what rudely. ascertained and served.
We have abandoned as hopeless the
attempt Insecure an arislecracy
wise and noble enough to perceive
and secure the general veil being.
ard have substituted therefor an as.
sembly in which all interests are
represented, and by which, therefore.
we hope the universal interest will
be secured
Now, this experiment-and as yet
it is emily an experiment-may work
very well so long as special legisla
ton is discountenanced nr prohibit
ed. But whenever special legisla-
tion is aged, corrupt aud cor
rupting Influences are at once
brought into operation. Each local
ity and each interest IS eager to Sc
cure asiv ntages, and each Represen-
tative is expected hy his constitu-
ency to secure them. Almost ineyi-
tahly that happens which has re-
Gently happened: General princi-
pies, such as that Of free raw mater
ial, are crowded to the wall: iron
producing States demand a tariff on
iron, wool -producing States tariff
on wool, sugar producing States a
bounty on sugar. Each Representa-
tive, eager to secure an advantage
for his own constituents, promises
his vote TO another equally eager
Representative in exchange for the
vote he desires Commercial enter
prises send their agents to Washing
ton to beg or to buy influence. In the
general scramble for special advan-
tages the National welfare is forgot
ten, pre- election pledges are discard
ed, general principles are ignored,
and public corruption and public
disgrace are the inevitable conse-
quence.
The question, then, is pressing it
self home upon many who have here
toiure been pretectionists whether
any econamic advantages can com
penSate for the moral disadvantages
OF such system. They are begin
ming to ask themselves: 1t is not
better to be poorer and more honest?
to sacrifice something of National
wealth than to hazard the National
honor? And is there any way by
which, in Democratic and self gov
erning Nation. the promotion of
specisl interests can be secured by
National legislation without a re
sultant scramble tor advantages
wInyi directly corrupt those who
are concerned in it, indirectly cor
rupts the whole community, and, |
by setting locality against locality,
endaneers that National unity
which is OF infinitely more value
than any temporary acquisition of
!; !