The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-11
HIGH TIME TO DROP IT
Sectionalism Prevails in the East
More Than in the West.
Mr.. QUINN ON HENDERSON
How Some Current Events Are Viewed
in New York City These Days-In-
terest in Tod Sloane-Politics,
Pleasure and Business.

Special Correspondence of the Standard.
New York. June 6.-New York re-
publicans are disturbed over the fight
for the election of a western man to
the speakership. General Henderson
of Iowa is admittedly in the lead and
the republican leaders of this section
are bemoaning the fact that he is ual-
lying his forces under the banner of
the West. 1t is humorous excitement.
As humorous, indeed, as Henderson's
western cry.
1t is true that General Henderson
is westerner. 1t is also true that
his campaigners have called upon the
men of the West to "stand together"
But what of it? What material diff
ference does 1t make whether Tom
Reeds successor be a resident of the
West or of the East?
Is Henderson not republican? Is
he not loyal to the management of the
republican party? Is he not willing
to obey the orders which are given by
the commander-in-chiefo of the republic
can forces? Is he not good machine
republican?
To be sure. Then why this 1lypro-
critical cry about the West?
What are the people Of the West to
gain by the election of a regular re-
publican to the speakership? The only
benefit of such an election will be to
the individual who receives the honor
which election to the speakership con-
fers. He will be no more, no less, than
any other republican in the chair.
And this brings us to the real issue
in this country The greatest need in
the United States is a strong and ir-
resistible tide of public opinion against
sectionalism. The man of the East
who is opposed to a fellow citizen be-
cause he is a citizen of the West is not
a good citizen. The westerner who
opposes anything that springs from the
East, simply because of it's eastern or
igin, is far from a full-fedged Ameri-
can. The sectional cry is the shb-
boleth of the Pharisee. 1t is the out
cry of the hypocrite. 1t is the alarm
which small natures give when they
fear a fair and open combat. 1t is
the sop which political malingerers
throw to the West when in need of
help. 1t is the most un-American of
all the un-American cries.
President Mckinley is western
as the East is known in politics. Ohio
is away out West to the New Yorker.
1t is SO far from the Bowery that to
call it East is to betray a lamentable
ignorance of eastern geography. True,
in Montana, Ohio is considered some
what east of west. But Mckinley does
not reside in the East. He is a citi-
zen of one of the central states. Yet
do you hear any easterner complain
ing? Is there a republican in New
York who is not satisfied with the
president on the main issues? Does he
not satisfy the trusts and the COM
bines9 Is he not as satisfactory to
the combined wealth which controls
the republican party as though he oc-
cupied a building on Wall street? To
be sure.
The western man must not permit
this hullabaloo about Hendersons cleo
ton to the speakership scoring a vic
tory fer the West to mislead him. Bet
ter man who resides in New York.
who is truly democratic, than one who
wears the name of Californian, yet is
loyal to the republican machine. True,
those who are looking for public build
ings in Iowa may win local victory
but observation teaches us that The
man in authority usually guards against
the desires of the section which he is
supposed to represent. 1t is policy for
him to placate the section which is
naturally hostile. Having gained the
honor he aspires to the distinction Of
craftsmanship. He would divest him
self of all that seems local or provincial
He would have the men of the East
say: after all, this man whom we
feared would be narrow in his western
prejudices, is much bigger and broader
Intellectually than we believed" So
that even the petty considerations of
local appropriations are hardly to be