The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-07-01
Western Folks Believe That East
ern Capitalists Are Plotting
to M0n0p0liZe Wealth.
STARTLING FACTS FOR THINKERS
A Dollar Invested in Farming Earns
Fifteen Cents. but in Manufac-
turing. Sixty-four Cents.
SOME MISLEADING STATISTICS
Here Are Real Facts Impartially Stat
ed. from Which Each May
Draw His Own In
ference.
From the New York Herald.

1.-THE Western states will secede and we
will form new republic Of the West" were
the fervid. foolish words that burst from
the lips of ex-Representatve Belford of
Colorado the other day. You smiled when
you read them, and you smiled again on
reading Henry L. Vests 1.-TWO Republics
in One" in the North American Review, and
wondered If all this meant anything at all.
Elk Representative Belford's outburst
caused a number of eminent Western
statesmen to hurry to the front in contra
diction. declaring that this talk Of secession
was the veriest empty froth.
OF course, the talk is nonsense but there
10 little doubt Of strong feeling IN the West
against the East. The fact is manifest not
merely In the broad line of division that is
being struck out in the present fight for and
against the free coinage Of silver, but in
countless other ways.
No doubt not little OF this feeling springs
from the same source as did much of the re-
sentiment and antagonism Of America
against England. That is to say, a spirit of
condescension. Of criticism and belittlement
on the part Of the older section for the new
But this sentiment Is something more
than a local irritation. just the nature of
this. Its basis and its extent are set forth
very clearly and very temporarily in the
v. Allen of Nebraska.
Be 1t said here that Senator Allen though
q PoDultst, Is still conservative. thought
full and clear-headed man, one who weighs
his words. When I asked him to define the
feeling of the West toward the East, he put
the matter in this way:
"A belief exists in the West that II is the
purpose Of Eastern money loaners and cap
italists to drain our industries of their
profits by unfriendly legislation; that they
do not intend to permit an enlarged volume
of currency. and that by this and like means
1t 10 their purpose to increase the national
debt and issue interest bearing bonds that
will rest as a blanket mortgage on the
property Of the country, and our people be-
lieve that by the time these bonds mature
the West will be compelled to furnish the
larger part Of the money for their payment.
I'VE feel that through the operation Of
shrinking volume of money, which has been
caused by Eastern votes and influences for
purely selfish purposes, the East has placed
its hands on the throat Of the West and re-
fused to afford us that measure of justice
which we, as citizens Of q common country.
are entitled to receive.
Again, the production Of grains and
meats fifteen hundred miles from the sea-
board is not, under the most favorable con-
ditions, highly remunerative. It is long
haul to market, and by means of exorbitant
freight rates, exacted to pay profit on wa
tered stocks, a system Of virtual confisca-
ton has been inaugurated, and the profits
Of farming have disappeared. And now by
striking down silver, another great source
% profit has been unjustly taken from US.
Still. again. the East is welded to an
abnormaly high tariff for distinctly pro-
tcctivo purpose: that Is. for the purpose of
enabling one class of citizens, through the
means of high-priced articles caused by di-
minishing the natural competition arising
from the sale Of imported articles. to trans
fer much of the earnings of all other classes
to their own pockets. It can easily be seen
that the people Of the West are compelled
to purchase their manufactured goods
from the East with low priced products of
farm and mine and pay the freight both
ways, and are thereby put to very great
disadvantage.
ut may be truthfully said In this connec-
ton that the feeling exists among the peo-
pie Of the West, to some extent, that the
East has. by unduly attempting to control
the Western press, endeavored to create an
unwarranted and false sentiment on the
tariff, financial and transportation ques-
tons, as well as false sentiment, through
the agency of small Western banks, on the
money question that is inimical to the true
interests Of our country.