The herald., 1897-11-08
of the Tehachapi mountains had smal

hence It's CldlIllS " COHSluCiatlOAs III
great measure. were disregarded. Cali
fornia has been a state forty years, and
in all that time but one man has been
elected governor from the section de-
nominated Southern California, though
two chosen to the second place have
succeeded to the first. in which vacan-
cies have occurred. Except Mr.. White
no man has been elected senator who
resided south Of San Mateo county.
Monopoly of the principal offices by the
northern and middle portions of the
state has very naturally developed a
feeling of resentment in this section, and
of late it's claims have been so deter
minedly asserted that they begin to
attract respect from the north. The
talk now in all parties is that if the gov
ernor is taken from one section the other
section must have the senator.
1t will not be satisfactory to again
give both senators to one part of the
state. as has been heretofore done in the
main. Southern California has be-
come so strong, and is growing stronger
so rapidly that it's claim to one of the
senatorships will hardly be rejected;
good party policy will require it to be
conceded. Circumstances and condi
tions in the state are such as to engen-
der a species of sectionalism. There is
not that homogeneity of interests which
exists in many of the states. There is
considerable dissimilarity in produce
tions; commercial interests are diverse,
and Los Angeles and San Francisco
have become rivals in domestic trade,
and shortly the rivalry will extend to
interstate and international commerce.
These interests are more affected by the
policies and actions of the general than
by the state government. Hence one
of the senatorships is of paramount I'M
portance to Southern California.
Every man who represents state as
senator should act impartially towards
every part of it, but the best of men are
liable to be unconsciously influenced by
selfishness and by partiality for their
immediate localities.
Local interests should not be permit
ted to interfere with the selection of
suitable men for the high honor and
grave responsibilities of a senatorial
seat. None should occupy it but man
of superior ability, unquestioned integ-
rity, and industry. We concur with
our contemporaries and the universal
sentiment in Southern California that
Senator Whites successor should be
from this part of the state, whichever
party gains a majority in the legisla-
ture, and we think it will hardly be de-
MED that in all the elements which
make a successful and eminent sem
ator no man in this part of the state or
in any other part of it, is his superior,
and few. if any, are his equals.
1t is rare that senator in four years
service has achieved so high status
as Mr.. White has. Courtesy entities
a senator to precedence in assignment
to important committees for length of
service. The most important commit
tee is that on finance. No new men,
ber becomes a recipient of that distnc-
ton unless he possesses conspicuous
abilities. 1t is a committee which has
jurisdiction of all measures for raising
and expending revenues. 1t performs
the functions of the ways and means
and the appropriations committees of
the house of representatives. To it
also are committed all legislation on the
me ney question, and in regard to the
public Indebtedness. If Mr. White
had not displayed much more than or
binary talents he certainly would not
have been selected over members of his
party of longer service to membership
of the first committee of the senate.
Besides this he has discussed many of
the important questions which have
come before the senate, other than those
reported from the finance committee
with an intelligence and power that
have given him front rank among the
debaters of that august body. If abil-
ity, integrity and devotion to the inter-
ests of his state should have proper in
fluerce, Senator White is eminently en-
titled to succeed himself.