Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-16

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tative to every 1900 Inhabitants
more or less, instead of this number OF
population having three, four, or even
/ five representatives as provided for in
| the constitution. Thus the power is
passing from the people and being
swayed toward corruption by the in
| fiuence of wealthy demagogues. And
while the people are thus menaced by
meager representation, on the one hand
they are on the other tantalized with
| the threat of this representation being
still farther weakened in power by its
conjunction with representation justly
| involved upon us by virtue of any ex-
pansion schemes which may be mater
ialized, and thus with a representation
yet unlimited and underlined by any
| fixed policy of the people of the United
F.! States.
While expansion along pure Repub-
| lican lines is menacing to our represen-
tation, as that class is evidently COM
mitted to a colonial policy of expan-
sion will readily agree; our people
should remember that a colonial pol
icy, if adopted, is equally, though indi-
| rectly, as menacing to the effective
ness of our representation, for in that
case the attention of our representa-
tives instead of being committed to the
needs of their constituents at home,
will be required in providing for and
| governing our colonies, as is now ex-
emplified to us, probably on a small
scale, by the seth Congress in it's deal
ings with "our new possessions"
| Bah! Whittier are We drifting?
| EVERY speech in Congress, pro or con,
on the subject of our new possessions
| is just that much of a waste of repre-
sentative energy due home constituent
cy-not waste that may in every in
| stance be chargeable to the speech
maker, for he has done nobly in MAX
| ing it according as his policies and
themes are just; but waste by virtue
OF the mistakes of the party that must
| be held responsible for enforcing the
| conditions upon us relative to such en-
| tangling phrases as Our new possess
| SiOnS."
AT present We have but a small re-
presentation in Congress in proportion
to the population and that meager re-
presentation, when assembled, is
large body of members, so large in
| deed, that nobody can reasonably think
| OF increasing it's numbers in more
than one way only, without altering its
| facilities for transacting the necessary
business that the people of our home
! country demand. And that one true
way, that straight and narrow path of
duty and patriotism, is to give the peo-
pie of our contiguous domain and
Alaska higher ratio of representa-
ton and to not give the people of any
| otner territory any representation
whatever, not even the least. In short
we should not brood over any other
| territory. National self preservation
| demands fixed policy on this point
more to be cherished in our traditions
| than the Monroe Doctrine. Nations
like individuals, need to watch their
| own selfishness as we'll as the selfish
ness of others. Any powerful nation
like ours needs to be more mindful and
vigilant of its own selfishness than the
selishness of other nations. 1t has
| been said that in the midst of life we
| are in death; and that in times of
prosperity adversely incroaches upon
| us. And though this be so, it is in
| most Instances due to the fact that
selfishness and greed run away with
vitality.
AS the Monroe Doctrine implies our
| traditional watchfulness of other ma
lions, so the new doctrine that should
be established, as at least running
counter in Importance to the Monroe
Doctrine, should imply that any at
tempt by the rulers of this republic to
| menace our representation and good
| government by extending our sover-
! eighty beyond our contiguous domain
| and Alaska shall be considered by the
people as an unfriendly act. Beyond
| this all we need for our own good is
| coaling and naval stations wherever
new avenues of trade are naturally op-
ened up and justify it,
The number of representatives may
| be safely increased to double what it
now is in the way / have just named.
| We need more direct representation
| But it would be dangerous to double
the number of representatives at the
same ratio we now have by virtue of
expansion; for then the people of our
| Fatherland would be meagerly repre-
| sented and their representation would
| be almost powerless in the fact of it's
opposition and greatly fettered by sec
| tlonal jealousies and contentious. Then
| there could be no hope of more direct
/ representation for Congress would have
about as large membership as could
| possibly meet in one assemblage to
| transact business.
Expansion is an epidemic worse than
| smallpox. Some want Canada. Some
would expand southwark. Should we
not now adopt the disinfectant policy?
| What league or party will be first to
do so? l would put up expansion dan
ger signals and red lights all along our
! Canadian border and between the Unit
ed States and the countries southwark
for the benefit of our greedy expan-
! sionists; and l would make this an OPP
en- scarlet letter to every such voter in
| the United States.
Let all think soberly. A great ma
| tional tide is coming. If sufficient in
| fiuence is eXerted, that tide will be TAX
en- at it's flood by the voters at the
| polls in 1900 and lead ON to national
| fame and fortune. "A great political
| sea-swell is at hand. A widows
mite" of influence may save or
wreck great nation. Very truly,
| C. A. COMPTON.