New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-09
UNAWARE OF THE SHACKLES.

Governor John A. Johnson OF Minnesota in
dulged in an unshRcSled fight OF fancy when ne
told an audience at the Alaska Yukon-Pacihc ex-
position that the West was "shackled" TO the
East. and advised the people of the states from
Minnesota 10 Washington 10 rise in their might
and break the odlous bonds OF Eastern depend
ence Most Of his hearers must have been sur
prised at the news that they were wearing irons
forged east Of the Mississippi Mfr. Johnson says
that they are. however. and that they have been
tyrannically prevented from enjoying that fair
''share OF influence in the halls Of Congress and
''in the administration Of national affairs TO
(which they are entitled by every law Of conf
''mOn sense. as well as of political economy"
We do not know what representation I'm Con-
gress the Far Western states are entitled TO by
the laws Of common sense and political economy
hut we do know that they are enjoying rela-
lively greater representation in Congress and in
the Electoral College than any other section OF
the country in proportion 10 population. Take
the ten states Of North Dakota. South Dakota.
Montana. Colorado. Wyoming. Utah, Nevada.
Idaho. Oregon and Washington. They had in
1900 total population Of 3.O1S. 721-about one
twenty-fifth of the population Of the forty-six
states Of the Union. Yet they are represented in
the Senate by twenty votes-five-twenty-th thirds
OF the membership OF that body. They send
seventeen members 10 the lower house Of Con-
gTeSS-one-r twenty third of its membership They
cast thirty-seven votes I'm the Electoral College
a little over onethirteenth of its total vote In
proportion 10 population therefore. the Far
West has been over represented rather than I'M
der-represented at Washington. The voters in
the ten states mentioned exercise more political
power relatively than do the voters In the more
densely populated Eastern states.
Governor Johnson wishes. apparently, 10 raise
a new sectional issue. But he has chosen
group Of states 10 work on in which sectionalism
is next 10 impossible TO preach, because those
states are themselves estranged and divided in
their material and political interests Mime
sofa, Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota have
little in common with the states OF the Rocky
Mountain group They are in the main treeless.
well titled and without mineral resources. while
mines, forests and ranges are the bases of pros
perity in the mountain region. The antagonIsm
of interests was clearly shown in the disputes
over tariff legislation at the session Of Con-
gress just ended. Iowa. Minnesota. Kansas,
Nebraska and North Dakota were arrayed
against Wyoming. Idaho. Montana. Utah and
Nevada, the first group favoring a stiff reduc-
ton Of tariff rates and the second group stand
ing FOR no abatement at all in duties. Even when
the great free silver coinage wave swept over
the Far West and almost overwhelmed the Re
publican party in the mountain section. Mime
sofa, Iowa, North Dakota, Oregon and California
repudiated free coinage and allied themselves
with Eastern against Western and Southern sen
timent. There will be no new outbreak Of sec
tiOnalism west OF the Mississippi because there
is no field there for that sort OF agitation Most
Of the Far Western states would feel more COM
Portable 'shackled" politically 20 the East or the
Middle West than "shackled" 10 one another