Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1901-01-25
sPALDING's ADDRESS.
He Tells Congress and the World
What North Dakota is.

He Tells Congress and the World
What North Dakota is.
During the recent debate in the
house of representatives on the
apportionment bill, Congressman
Spalding delivered an able plea
for an additional congressman for
North Dakota, and won. He said
in part:
But, Mr.. Speaker, members of
this house are we'll aware that
usages exist not sanctioned by law,
but nevertheless usages which
have become SO we'll established as
to have the force of law among
the members Of this house and
their constituents. Under such
usages each member has duties to
perform for his constituents out
side the halls of congress and out
side his committee rooms. We
are required to look after the needs
Of our constituents in the various
departments.
We are expected to take charge
of all the post-otfces in our res
pective districts or states, make
recommendations for the appoint
ment OF proper persons, investigate
applications for the establishment
of new Offices and increase of mail
facilities, expedite applications
for pensions, secure the appoint
ment of constituents to civil Offices,
and thousand and one other
things. These, I doubt not, each
member is ready, willing and
pleased to consider in the interests
of his constituents, yet neverthe-
less, all detract from his time and
take his attention from the legiti-
mate business of legislation, and
necessarily in many instances to
such an extent as to deprive him
of the power to act intelligently
on bills of great national impor-
lance.
| Why, sir, the representative
from the state of North Dakota
has on his list more than $50 post
offices. At least once in four years
a change is asked, and in majority
of cases contest waged. He is
expected to decide on the merits
Of the respective applicants, and
settle all the difficulties. One OF
his greatest burdens is to investi.
gate and make recommendations
with reference to new Offices in a
rapidly growing and thinly settled
state and [ submit that there is
not man on this floor who, either
unaided or aided by clerk of large
executive ability, can attend to
these multifarious duties and have
time or strength left to give any
consideration whatever to matters
of legislation, which should be of
first Importance. [ submit that
no member from any state in the
union has any such number of
Offices under his supervision as
has the member from the state of
North Dakota. In this respect
city members have great advan-
tage over those from country dis
tricts. They are able to devote
their energies to legislation.
Will not the members Of this
house give relief to the state of
North Dakota, giving it such rep
resentation as a majority fraction
is entitled to? This will divide
the burdens incident to a new
country and new state in half.
Mr.. Speaker, these are not the
only considerations involved in
this amendment. As I Ihavestated,
the population of North Dakota is
3l9,146. That is an increase dur
ing ten years of Is per cent, the
largest percentage increase Of any
state except one. Very much the
larger portion of that increase has
occurred during the last five years,
and it is safe to say that while the
average has. been IL, 800; more than
900 has been the average in
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