, 1862-10-11
THE WASHINGTON STATESMAN.
sATURpAY NGoRNINe. oCT ll. 1ee2.
The Division Question.

Some little discussion has occurred dur
ing the past few months touching the ques-
ton of the division of Washington Terri
tory, originating with the people of the
Sound, and mostly confined to that locality
There has been thus far but little merit in
the discussion, and but little Importance
has been attached to the question by the
people-the measure being regarded as in
expedient at the present time. The Sound
people we believe propose the Cascade range
of mountains as the boundary line between
themselves and what they have been pleased
to term the new Territory or State Of Ida
no. The Mouataineer, an Oregon paper,
enters the ring with an argument in favor
Of new State, based upon the doctrine OF
+" incOmpatibility Of interests, and makes
the modest request that Wasco county be
chopped off from Oregon and added to
the new State-a proposition that will be
regarded S unfavorably in Oregon as is the
Sound boundary line by the people of the
upper country.
We have no idea that at the present time
the division of the Territory is in any wise
a practicable scheme 1t is not only i'm
practicable, but it is premature if it were
not so. The only Importance that can pos
sibly attach to the measure, in the present
embryo condition of things, is of a purely
political character; and the discussion Of
the question owes its origin to desire on
the part of certain politicians 10 secure by
a division what they feared they might
some time otherwise lose. Under these
circumstances the discussion took its rise
and there is just about as much merit in
the project as in its prOmptings. In COM
mercial point of view, the present arrange
ment answers all the purposes of trade; OF
at least as satisfactorily as could be hoped
through a division of the Territory. And
particularly is this true if the Cascade range
is to be the line of the divisions for the
people of the upper cOuntry-hOlding q;
they do the paramount interests in the
channel of communication between them
selves and the shipping points below-car
never consistently consent to reinquisH
their voice in the legislation touching the
conduct of this channel. We are content
to take our chances, with the Territory un-
divided, in securing just and equitable leg.
islation for the interests of different locali-
ties; but we are not disposed to forfeit oul
natural rights to the keeping and control O
those whose interests, it is alleged, are in
imical to our own So far as the Sound
people are concerned, they would reap nc
benefits by division, in respect to these
advantages, that they do not already pos
sess. The argument of g incompatibility
of interests" is a very weak one as applied
to the present condition of the country. L
may have some force in the minds of aspir-
ing politicians, who are striving to make
additional seats in Congress and create nu-
merous offices of emolument. There are
no pressing wants that could be met by {
division; no exigences that demand it, ol
embarrassments that would be removed by
it. We apprehend that the Territory viii
remain undivided, in spite of the agitators
until it becomes sufficiently populated tC
entitle her to admission as a State; then
if the Sound people desire to stay out ant
remain in Territorial vassalage, we won
object provided we can agree upon the
western boundary. 1t is not at all likely
that Oregon can be induced to part with
that POI ton of her territory formerly in
cluGed in Wasco county; it promises toe
rich harvest at the present time to admit
of such a supposition. Nor do we think i
any more likely thet Congress can be in
duced to believe that division, the chic
merit of which rests in creating positions
for political bummers, would be expedien
OF advisable.