Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-06-26
WHOLE NUMBER 1902.
THE LOYAL WEST.
Her Voice Should not He Disregard
ed I'm the National COunsels.

Senator Teller writes as follows in
the June North 1merican Repiew:
l have some acquaintance with the
country west OF the Mississippi river,
which is evidently the section desig-
mated as the West by Mr.. Henry
Litchfield West in his article in the
April Reriew entitled, "Two Repub-
lies or One?"
was born and educated in the
State of New York. / lived three
years on the east bank OF the Missis-
sippi river and thirty-tive years in
Colorado. l have been nearly twenty
years in public life and have had, for
thirty years, quite an extensive ac-
quaintance throughout the country
west of the Mississippi river, with
public men both in the national and
State governments, as we'll as with the
people. The difference spoken of by
MIR. West as to economic principles
does exist, and there is quite general
feeling that the East is ungenerous to
the West, and such differences may,
and doubtless will, divide the people
somewhat on sectional lines in party
organizations; yet there is no senti-
ment in the West that will justify
the inference that now, or hereafter,
the people of that section will favor
divided republic. The suggestion OF
such proposition would be regarded
as reasonable, and would ruin any
party or any man who should even
hint at such possibility.
The West is strong and self re-
liant. Its natural resources are of a
character to justify the very general
expectation that some day it will
dominate the republic, both on &C.
count of its population and its wealth.
Every year the center of population
goes westward, and in few years it
will be west of the Mississippi river.
The West has produced within the
last forty-eight years not less that two
thousand million dollars of gold, and
about one thousand three hundred
and fifty million dollars of silver. 1t
looks now as if the production of gold
and silver will be greater within the
next forty-eight years than in the
past forty-eight years.
The West is not only rich in the
precious metals, but in lead, copper
and iron. With immense fields OF
bituminous and anthracite coal, and
the finest timber on the continent, it
must in time secure its full share Of
American manufactures.
Agriculture must increase CORE
spondingly, and, with the increase Of
population and wealth, the West will
no longer complain of the East, nor
will the East treat the West, as it has
heretofore, as dependency; and in
stead of the East and the West grow.
ing farther apart, 1 believe they will
be closer in their relations than they
are now or ever have been. The
West is loyal to the interests of the
entire country. Without manufac-
lures the Western Republicans in
Congress have maintained with grea,
zeal the theory OF protection to Ameri.
can industries. Their interest in
coast defenses has not been less than
that of those who live on the sea
board. The demand for navy com
mensurate in strength with our ma
tional greatness and national danger
has found its strongest advocates
among the representatives of tht
States that could not be disturbed by
a hostile force by land or sea.
The American spirit is strong in tn,
west. An insult to our flag would b'
resented by the people of the West al
it would in no other part OF the coun
try. They would not inquire what i
would cost nor how it would affec
trade and commerce. There viii
never be two republics made out o
this one. The west will never desire
it, and if the East ever does the Wes
will prevent it.
A common flag. a common ances.
try, q common interest, justice to al
in legislation and administration, will
keep the States in Union never to b,
broken by foreign or domestic foe.