East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-08-11
WESTERNERS TOLD
TO CLAIM RIGHTS
GOVERNOR JOHNSON SAYS WE
SHOULD BE FREE FROM EAST
Says West Should Begin 10 Claim That
Fair Share of Power to Which She
Is Entitled in COngrcss-Thlnlss we
Should be Big Enough 10 Labor for
the Common Good.

Seattle, Wash.-"It is time that the
west threw off the shackles of the
east. 1 would preach no sectionai
divisions and no sectional strifes, but
Minnesota and Washington and the
states between them, with those to the
south of us, should rise in their might
and claim for themselves that fair
share of influence in the halls of con-
bress and in the administration of ma
tional affairs to which they are en-
titled by every law of common sense,
as well as Of political economy"
This was the declaration of Gove,-
nor John A. Johnson in his address
at the Minnesota day celebration at
the exposition.
1--WE as an integral part of the AM
erican people should cast our influ-
ence and our votes not only to ad-
vance the material interests of our
particular section, but we should be
broad enough and big enough to la
Dor for the common good of our COM
mon country" said the governor
1--WE have in the states west of the
Mississippi river the undoubted ball
ance of power, no matter under what
name the national administration at
Washington exists. In the years that
have passed our population and our
material wealth have not enjoyed that
representation to which they are en-
titled, and, furthermore, our leaders
have been content to follow in no small
measure the leadership of men who
represent relatively small constituent
cies and smaller commemorative"
The governor then made the re-
marks quoted in the beginning. ana
continued: 1T is time indeed that the
great northwest should come into its
own, and by the force of its energy,
the ability of its sons and the coop
GRAFTON of its various constituent parts
exert an influence for good Not only
as to its own particular property. but
to that Of the country at large, to
which every element invites It,"
West the Home of Freedom.
The speaker declared that the west.
among other things is the call for pa
triotism and progress, for emancipa-
tion from every form of old-world
and new-world cast and privilege
from the tyranny of wealth and birth,
and alike from the dominion of the
trust and political machine.
Governor johnson gave an inter-
esting account of the growth and de-
velopment of the west, its industries
and resources.
"NOt only in foreign commerce, bu,
in the progress of American shipping.
is the west a prime factor in national
development" said he in continuing.
Fifty years of national folly in the
enactment of navigation laws ana
high protectiveS tariffs have crippled
American shipping until over 90 per
cent of our Atlantic commerce is car
ried in foreign bottoms.
Notwithstanding the half century
of marine shame, the United States
flag foats today over American mer-
chant marine of about 1000, 900 regis
tered steam tonnage, which carries To
the markets of the world nearly 2OO,-
100000 tons of American products.
But on what waters float the colors
OF this merchant marine, and what
freight do these American ships carry?
One-half of this vessel tonnage is on
the Great Lakes, while the Pacific
coast, the Great Lakes and the Missis-
sippi combined boast nearly 20 per
cent of the total.
And the freight carried consists OF
the great staple products of the west
on their way to eastern and foreign
markets-the products of that great
army Of western yoemen who demand
no fostering hand of the government
and ask only for that justice and free
dom which they are entitled by nar-
ural right under the guaranty of our
constitution and our flag