The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-21

lined. Photo is Of Representative
Julius Kahn Of California.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2o-The West
wants its rights" in congress. 1t
wants them irrespective of either
political party. For the purpose of
getting them an informal organization
has been set under way. The scheme
has interesting possibilities. Thus far
it is of limited scope and purpose. But
underlying it is a plan to weld ten
states OF the Far West into a unit
in behalf Of legislation that the West
wants.
Such unit would be power in
congress, and particularly in the SEN
ate. A hard and fast combination of
twenty senators on given issue
would be something to conjure with.
Unquestionably it could accomplish
many things that it set out to do. II it
did not get what it was after it could
block the wheels of the senate in most
effective fashion.
Pacific SoIons Meet.
One day recently there was an in
formal meeting Of the congressional
representatives from the three Pacific
coast states, Washington, Oregon and
California. The session was held in
the office of Representative Julius
Kahn of California, Republican. But
the most significant feature of the
meeting was that 1t was attended by
Democrats as well as Republicans. 1t
was a bipartisan get-together attempt
to frame tariff bill to protect West
ern magnesite, which is essential in
the manufacture Of hard steels.
But while magnesite was the sub
ject which brought the Pacific coast
members together, regardless of party,
most of them had in mind a more far
reaching purpose. At this meeting the
idea of bringing into voting combina-
ton on western issues all members OF
both parties from the ten Rocky Noun
tain and Coast states was discussed.
Repres of Idaho, Colorado,
Nevada and Arizona have already ex-
pressed themselves as favorable to the
idea. Utah, Montana and Wyoming
are expected to take a favorable atti-
tude. Eventually New Mexico may be
invited to join.
Power in the Senate.
The ten states first named have
twenty senators and thirty-two rep
resentatives. In the House such a
combination would not be numerically
formidable, but in the senate it would
constitute more than a fifth Of the en-
tire membership.
The chief idea that the westerners
have is this: Between the Rocky
Mountains and the Pacific seaboard
there is a vast area of rich territory,
filed with raw materials of various
kinds that have not been developed
Any legislation affecting the develop.
n,ent of this territory will be voted
for by the entire delegation If the
plan goes through. regardless OF
which particular state happens to be
directly affected.
For long time there has been desul-
tory talk in congress about solidifying
the western vote. but for various
reasons the attempts that have been
made to bring about an organization
have failed.
West Out In Cold.
The westerners claim that while the
natural resources of the east have
been developed almost to the limit
those OF the west are to a large extent
untouched. They are not at all in
sympathy with many eastern ideas
concerning the development Of natural
resources. Several years ago, IL
Idaho and Utah, the federal govern
ment withdrew for conservation pur
poses certain mineral bearing lands
The matter has rested there and nc
means have been furnished for de
veloping these resources. Idaho com
plains because there are about
100000 acres Of phosphate lands
within her borders remaining unde
veloped. and Utah because she con
tains large coal deposits that canno
be reached, because there is no way