New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-24
POLITICAL DAY DREAMS.

Governor John A. Johnson's idea that the
West ought 10 break the shackles which Dina
il 10 the East and set up for Itself In politics on
a sectional basis has apparently not fired Inc
Western heart. Nobody has taken the Governor
seriously One trouble with the strikefor-free-
dom programme was that the West was NOT
aware that il was shackled II could not fel
the letters bind. 1t had no such political ah6
economic grievances as the Governor wanted 10
make il believe ii had For instance. when he
told his auditors ca Minnesota Day nj the
Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition that the West
ern states had been tyrannically prevented from
enjoying that fair share of influence in the
''halls Of Congress aud in the administration ~
national affairs 10 which they are entitled by
every law Of common sense as we'll as of pO-
-'litical economy the better Informed among his
hearers must have wondered whether he was
speaking in Jest or an earnest. The people of
the states from the Mississippi west to the Pa
cifc Coast know very well that they enjoy in
Congress in the Electoral College and in ma
tiona conventians-and. therefore. I'm the drec
tion OF national affairs larger share OF in
fiuence than they are entitled 10 by reason Of
their numbers. They are over-represented. not
under-represented. and any failure 10 make their
power count is due 10 their own negligence, and
not 10 Eastern discrimination and oppression.
We said not long ago that Governor Johnson
failed entirely 10 appreciate conditions in the
Far West when he launched his new gospel OF
sectionalism. The Far West is not capable of
being soidifed politically the South was and
still is to some extent. because there are no
common interests 10 promote solidarity. The
Missouri Valley States. the Mountain States and
the Pacific Coast States form three distinct
groups in that area, each with its own concerns
and economic and political tendencies. There is
no bond Of unity: in fact, the Mountain States
and the agricultural states Of the Missouri Val
ley are directly opposed in their economic inter
ests and inclinations. In 1896 on the issue Of
free silver coinage Minnesota. Iowa and North
Dakota broke away from the mining common
wealths. so did California and Oregon on the
Pacific Slope. On the tariff issue at the recent
session of Congress Minnesota. Iowa Nebraska
Kansas and South Dakota were directly ar odds
with the Mountain States, the first group aiming
at tariff reductions all along the line and the
second fighting against any reductions. There is
10 prospect whatsoever of a union of these, jar
ring groups TO carry out sectional policy.
II has been suggested that the Mississippi and
Missouri Valley States, dissatisfied with the
suits Of the recent revision Of the tariff, might
find it possible to make alliance with the
South to lower duties. But this idea is as fan
tastic as Governor Johnson's. About half the
Senators from the Southern States have adopted
the tariff programme of the Rocky Mountain
section. which aims al high protective duties on
raw materials, while the Middle Western group
would like TO see many materials made free
as Necessary first step toward general reduc
ton Of duties on manufactured products. There
might have been some chance twenty years ago
of a low tariff political alliance between the
Middle West and the South. But the South has
ROW drifted far away from fits former ant-prO-
lection attitude. IL will not respond with en-
thusiasm 10 the suggestion of a combination with
The low tariff Middle West Says 1.-The Charles
| ton News and Courier" commenting on that
| suggestion:
We have also heard for a great many years
| about a political union between the South and
! the West, and invariably the mighty West"
| has broken away. Besides, the interests OF
| the East and the South are closer really than
/ the interests Of the South and the West We
! have been following this Western igHiS fGtuAS
| Tor long time and always to our disap-
/ pointment, and we do not believe that there is
any more hope of successful political combina-
| ton between these two sections of the country
now than there was twenty or twenty-five years
ago.
''The News and Courier is right Talk about
A merger of that sort has as little substantially
as Governor JOlnsons project for the sectional
ZatiOn of the Far West.