The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-01
To Gen. Henderson and Mr.. Hopkins

To Gen. Henderson ana MI. HOPKINS.
Some OF your friends seem determined
that the Republican party shall experience
the indescribable misfortune OF q sectional
canvass for the Speakership.
In both Of your camps the spirit OF West
or Nothing Is beginning to manifest itself
here and there. 1t is the West first and the
Republican party second. The only differ
ence Of opinion in this respect is as to which
OF you two gentlemen is the better entitled
to represent the West.
cally, as existed between Mr. COOLING and
Mr.. SHORT.
Is it possible that the deluson is grow
ing, under your encouraging care, that there
Is such thing as Republican
party, something distinct from the Repub-
lican party that we have formerly known
Are you both, or is either OF you. trying to
take advantage Of the preposterous idea
that the West has interests which need to
be protected by running a candidate for
Speaker as Western Republican candi-
date, rather than as a Republican candi-
date OF the old kind ?
On Saturday the Republicans Of the Wis
consin delegation-it happens to be a SOL
Idly Republican delegation-decided to
adopt the unit rule and to vote as unit
for Gen. HENDERSON. To-day the fifteen
Republican Congressman in the Ohio dele
cation will meet at Columbus to consider
the proposition to vote as unit "in the
| interests Of the West" The Indiana dele
cation will determine the same question
| some time In August. It's members are al
ready in correspondence about unifcation
for the sake Of the West.
Wherever the application Of the unit rule
and the suppression OF varying individual
preferences Ia proposed. it is invariably pro-
posed and urged as sectional measure.
You, Mr.. HOPKINS, and you Gen. HEN
DERsoN. appear equally willing to play the
unit rule in the name Of the West. That Is
because each Of you hopes at the present
time to profit by it more than the other.
Just pause moment. forget that you
are Westerners. and consider as good
Republicans the possible effect OF this
whipplng-in process in the name OF the
West We have spoken of sectional can
vass for Speaker this year as an indescriba-
Bile misfortune to the Republican party.
That phrase does not exaggerate. The po-
lltical results in the way OF evil cannot DO
described because their full extent cannot
Congress to remember the sectional cam
paign for Mr.. CRISP for Speaker, and its
ultimate effects upon tho fortunes OF the
then victorious and prevalent Democracy.
nominally Republican Speaker elected
avowedly on sectional lines. not as a Re.
publican Speaker merely but as Western,
Republican Speaker, would mean disaster
to the Republican party almost as surely
as would President who should declare
himself the representative OF the Western
end OF the Republican party and the West
ern department OF Republican policy
Thank goodness! We have a President
who stands in office neither as
Westerner nor as an fastener, but
only as Republican and an American
Remember Gen HENDERSON and Mr.. HOP
KINs, that with your unit rules coercing in
divldual preferences for the sake of the
West, your combinations in the interest o.
the West, and your redemption, next De
cember at org anizatlon time. OF pledges