The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-05-06
plight have been expected.

night have been expected.
Now, shall not attempt here to
burden the attention of the intelligent
reader with a demonstration Of the
fact that federal legislation, in refer
ence to our commercial affairs, has
much TO do, directly and indirectly,
with the regulation Of prices in this
country, especially between the East
and the West. These two sections Of
the country stand at perpetual issue
before congress, the former, consciously
or unconsciously, encouraging such
legislation as viii help them to an
enjoyment Of the products Of the Mis-
sissippi valley at the least possible
cost, while the latter is ever striving
with equal energy TO thwart that self
ish aim, and to secure for their meats
and grains far market along the At
lantic coast.
Now, this brief view OF the subject
from an. economic standpoint very
properly suggests, in behalf Of the
West, a more adequate representation
in the sovereign counsels Of the nation.
The general. and most unfair, in
equality between the Orient and the
Occident OF these United States in
respect TO federal representation may
be sufficiently illustrated by any one
Of multitude Of convincing compari-
sons: Take the states Of Delaware
and Texas. The former, according to
the census Of 1900, hasa population Of
only l4s, 735; its area is 1860 square
miles, while the latter has Ia popula-
tion Of 3,04s,7l0, with an area Of 262,-
2e0 square miles. Now, why should
Texas, state having an area one
hundred and thirty-dye times and a
population more than sixteen times
that Of Delaware have only two men,
bers in the senate the same number
that is accorded the latter little stateg
II the population Of Delaware is 10 be
taken as a standard If 1t takes two
senators to represent las, 735 citizens
then IN Texas there must be at least
:, ,S9a,g75 persons living in state Of
practical disfranchisement.
The inequalities made apparent by
these facts are obviously in conflict
with the free spirit Of our American
institutions. Yet what has been done
in the creation Of these states cannot
now be undone. The mistakes of
craftsmanship in the early life Of
nation are like mistakes in the matri-
monial venture; they are hard to cor
rect. We shall be obliged, in this in
stance, simply TO endure in hopeless
patience the evil which past indis-
cretion has brought upon Us, while
imagination mocks us ever with empty
visions Of impracticable schemes for
relief
If We could, by an application Of
some kind OF almighty magic swell
the territory and population Of Della
ware until they became commensurate
with those Of Texas, or if we could
scissor Texas into one hundred and
sixty-fye states Of the size Of Della
ware, and give to each two senators
we should find ourselves, at least as
far as these two states are concerned,
in far better accord with the teach
ings Of American equality, and at the
same time much better prepared to
cope with the East ia the general
scufie after the good things Of our
continent.
In order to present in the clearest
possible light the thought here insisted
upon. we have contrasted enc OF the
small maritime states with one Of the
greatest states Of the interior But
this Tor the purpose in view, was by
no means inevitable, for a ike com
parison between the two indefinite
portions Of our country known respec-
lively as the east" AMI 1.-THE west, "