The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-19
MINNESOTA
INDEPENDENCE
From Congress It Shines Over
the Whole Country.
THE EAST PAYS TRIBUTE
North Star Exce1ls the Bay States
Traditional Independence.
CANNOT BE WHIPPED INTO LINE
Death Blow to Partizan
ServiIity.

From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Poss
Washington, March 1.-THE Importance
which Minnesota has attained in con-
gress is we'll illustrated in an article
written by Colonel Robert. l.. O'Brien,
Washington correspondent Of the Boston
Transcript. 1t is the point Of view of one
of the abfest and closest observers in the
ranks of Washington correspondents, and
is all the stronger because it is unpreju-
diced and unsolicited. Incidentally, it
bears eloquently and forcefully on the
argument in favor of continuing good men
in congress for unlimited terms. 1t is
only by long service here that The men
from any state are able to accomplish i'm
portant results or rise TO positions of in.
fiuence. Colonel O Brien says:
No one can watch congressional procedure
without realizing the leadership among the
states of the union which Minnesota is now
taking In political Independence" The ira
dtion that Massachusetts, leads in this viz
tue, or vice, according to the point of view,
is not now supported by the facts. Minnesota
regard Of party lines or the wishes Of party
managers, several-fold as much as do the
representatives Of Massachusetts. Without
making any comment OH the merits OF phe
questions involved, but Just as an exhibition
Of political independence, a few facts may be
recalled. When the. Porto Rican question
agitated congress, the Minnesotans were the
hardest to whip into line; Mr.. Heatwole was
one Of the five republicans who did. not get
there, and Mr. Fletcher stated that up to the
moment the roll call began he did not know
how he should vote. When the bill reached
the senate, both Davis and Nelson voted
squarely for free trade with Porto Rico. :
Ship Subsidy Snag.
On the ship subsidy bill, the Mime
sofa men have been, and still are, the hard
est to get into line. Mr.. Stevens, a member
Of the committee having the Dill in charge, has
been the leader Of the republican opposition
and most of his colleagues from Minnesota
have sympathized with him. On the Bah
cock bill to remove the duty on trust-made
articles, which are no longer dependent upon
protection, Mr.. Tawney was the only repub-
lican Of the ways and means committee to
vote with Babcoek III iss stayor. In this. too
he seems to be supported by the press and
public men of his state. Minnesota is dis
tincty tariff republican state; it seems
to lead in all movements looking in that di-
rection. Senator Nelson is said by those
who know him. to be theoretical free trader,
and to have come very near leaving the re-
publican party some years ago on this issue.
Governor Merriam now director OF the cen
sus, is also a low tariff man.
Fletcher Practically Alone.
Loren Fletcher, the ranking republican
member of the committee on interstate and
| foreign commerce, has always voted, and
practically alone, against the Nicaraguan canal
project. He takes most gloomy view Of
such waterway, and in saying SO, adds that
he has heard all the arguments made before
his committee, and has heard nothing to make
him think it would be worth building. A
Panama canal he regards as very much less
Objectionable, but he also votes against that.
The Minnesota members are in the front
rank of the insurgents over beet sugar. Their
view is that they have been paying for pro-
lection for eastern Industries for SO long
that now, when their farmers have something
which needs protection, the east should be
compelled to stand in line. Mr.. Tawney ex-
pressed this view the other day when he said
there between the two house factions no
basis of compromise which contemplated the
maintenance of existing duties on trust-made
articles in which this country Is undersell-
ing the world, and at the same time the
lowering of duties upon an infant industry
Of the farms. .- z.sE.
Another notable aspect of MinnesotaS posi-
ton in congress and, in fact, of its state
history, is found in the simple statement
which Representative Eddy makes in his
congressional biography, that he is the first
native Of that state to he elected to the house
of representatives. Even his parents had lived
in Minnesota but few, months before he was
| born.
Their Birth Places.
OF the other representatives Stevens and
Fletcher were BORN in Maine, McCleary in
Canada and Heatwole in Indiana, while Page
| Morris, who represents the Duluth district,
is Virginian. TaWney born on what
afterwards became the battlefield Of Gettys-
burg.
| The state is to have two more representa-
| tives under the new apportionment; the, "a
! pdity with which it has filled up, having
reached size which gives it more repre-
| sentatves than the three upper states OF
| New England combined in a period less than
| the lifetime of the average representative,
| shows the vigor with which Americans have
| built states 1t also shows the results OF
| certain discoveries in the treatment Of 'spring
wheat in distinction from winter wheat
as described in recent census bulletin.
! These new processes, which made the less
! desirable product the more desirable one,
! gave an impetus to the development OF the
northern wheat belt and made Minneapolis
| the milling center of America
| This political independence Of Minnesota,
! in which Wisconsin in large measure shares.
| is especially significant because Of the gen
| eral recognition of the fact that in the Mis-
| sissppi valley resides the forces which are
destined to control America, as made promi-
nent in Mr.. Adams Madison address.
w. w. Jermane.