The Washington weekly post., 1899-06-20
The East and the West.

The selection, practically assured, Of an
Iowa man for Speaker Of the House Of
Representatives has again revived
rhaSe OF sectionalism that has OCCASION
ally shown up in both parties during the
last forty years. It's initial appearance
20 Ear as We can recall the past, was in
Indiana IN the spring OF 1861. when the
Southern States had seeded and. in the
opinion OF many politicians ana a.: Few
statesmen, the Union was practically de-
stroyed. II was in that dark hour. four
gears before the dawn Of the new era Of
;he reunited family Of States, that the
zate Thomas A. Hendricks spoke Of
northwestern Confederacy as one Of the
probable results Of the impending con-
gIct. But Alr. Hendricks State and all
other States OF the Northwest and the far
West united with New England and the
aiiddle States and with large continGents
OF the people Of the border States In the
war for the Union. Those who doubted
IN 1861 and whose faith wavered in those
terrible but glorious years that ensued
lived 10 see the more perfect Union"
.hat emerged from the fiery furnace OF
var.
For some years thereafter the only kind
Jf sectionalism that troubled the land
Gas animosity between the North and the
South. So far as the East and West were
concerned. sectionalism appeared 10 have
died. But II reappeaTed after a time in
the political arena, although It did not,
and we trust never will. take the shape Of
q demand or proposition for dissolution Of
the Union. II was heard of when the
Populists were a distinct and important
factor They arraigned the East on many
charges and wherever they got control of
legislation they tried 20 punish the East
for having loaned them money on real es-
tate security. At a later day the Dem
Ocratic Presidential candidate was wont
to enthuse his Western followers by
speaking of the East as 'the enemy's
country"
Now il is the Republican Party that has
started the sectional talk, although some
of the Democratic and independent papers
are taking part in it, For example, the
Chicago Times Herald remarks that
while the New York sun is still wonder
ing what struck its boss Platt and his
man Friday Sherman, the Brooklyn Eagle.
with a vision not contracted by the mar
row horizon of the East, reads in the
selection of Col. Henderson for Speaker
the definite assertion of Western eman-
cipation from Eastern bossism in ma
toral politics"
The Eagle asserts that the East and
'the Speakership have parted company
for an indefinite period" And it adds
that with the West are the center of
population, the balance OF power In
both parties, and the resolution to make
the most of its positional, political, and
mathematical preponderance. The East
may not contemplate this fact with hilar-
ity, and, indeed. would do well TO look at
ii with some solemnity"
In looking about for something in the
way Of consolation, the Eagle finds that
while the West has become .'the center
OF power" the Fast will remain the CEN
ter Of ideas" The Times-Herald. while
complacently accepting the Eagles tribute
to the power Of the West, is not ready
TO admit that the East will remain or
even now is the center of IDEAS"
There is really no foundation for this
phase OF sectionalism, comparatively in
nocuous though it may be. Henderson is
not going 10 be Speaker because he halls
from the West, any more than Reed was
Speaker because he was an Eastern man.
Sectionalism has had nothing TO do with
the selection Of Speakers, and there has
been no unfriendly manifestation Of that
sentiment in Presidential nominations
There is enough Of the East in the West
20 furnish guarantee against sectional
malice There is sufficient intelligence
and patriotism in the East and the West
to prevent the drawing OF a line between
the sections in a political campaign.
And II it were proposed 10 draw such a
line, who could tell where TO put il? Who
knows where the East leaves off and the
West begins?