The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1871-02-17
THE TERRlTuRIAL CONDITION.

Iron The idaho Statesman. 1,h 1,h.1
A very natural inquiry thst occurs to til:
inhabitant of any Territory Of the Unitec
State: IL. how long is this going to last
How long h the statue of Territorial de-
pendcncc 10 I've maintained? In contempla
iion of the trainers of the constitution, tlst
Territorial organization was intended to bt
only temporary. In the first place. 1t seems
to have beer, designed that it should be es
iablishcd only where the nucleus for Sta e
organization had been already formed
That it was. in fact. a necessary first stel
in the formation of State. That the cre'
a,ing power-Congress-should speak into
existence the subordinate power-the ma
chinery of . gOvcrnmcnt-tO plan and per.
feet for itself the higher type and form Of
State government. In the earlier times OF
the government: when the country expand
ed naturally and III regular order. the sys'
ten. worked well enough. The new Terri
tories were contiguous to States, were agri'
cultural, and drew class of permanent Set
tiers, and soon developed the capacity tn
organize State government. Without IL.
king into consideration the changed cOndi-
ton and character 1T these fur off and new
mining communities, Congress has gone on
| applying the same system. The result has
hccn the same in nearly all Of them. They
have been practically without the benefits
"f government. and their ability I" maintain
a state organization has decreased from the
time. Of their Territorial organization. In
| the "ase of Nevada, wls;ch rushed into q
o'.'e "E""'1".'''" " "''e yet disqualified in
point of wealth or population to assume the
burdens thereof. the ikclil."ol Of their he.
ing able to maintain their Present stnsus
without the addition of more population.
MI rs
ing now seriously discussed in t,cir local
journals That State is poorer md less
IMpulOus Than wien first admitted. s., of
Montana and Idaho Territories which
have been under Territorial ORGANIZATIONS
for about eight years, it mny he fairly sail
that they are less able IN take up the syvcr.
eighty at State than when their Terrific.
rial organization was given 10 them. The
basis Ut their population, and It's active in.
crease while their placer mines were new.
with the blind ignorance among people in
the cast concerning these Territories, were
the occasion of these TASTY organ, z:,tiODs
During those ri ght years. there has been
very little of the advantages supposed to
accrue from well regulated government,
especially in the prevention and punishment
OF crime, while the taxation Of the people
has been rs great or greater than in the
older States. H. the meantime. their placer
mines are becoming exhausted, and the cap.
ital and enterprise are not forthcoming to
develop the more permanent interests of
quartz mining. Their agricultural lands.
80 capable OF supporting thriving cOmmuni.
ties. arc SO far from the great marts of the
world that their settlement and develop.
ment can only keep pace with the creation
of home markets IN the mines. How many
years must clapsc before they will have the
necessary population and the necessary Der.
manrnce to venture upon the dignity and
assume the burdens Of State? Will it he
ten. twenty. or forty years hence? At the
present rate of progression it would meyer
he. The only thing the government could
do would he tO remand them TO their for.
lncr untcrritOrial condition. and let them
work out their own salvation Us best they
could.
II is the interest Of the community. as
well rs its policy. to get all people under
State governments as fast AS possible This
Territorial condition. n parody on self gov.
and uncOngenial to the spirit of
free institutions, ought to be dispensed with
wherever it may be practicable To do So
TO attempt to maintain it for long period
Of tine. as is the prospect before these mi.
tnpital will never seek such country for
homes and investment
Therefore. il the people and Congress arc
wise. they will repeal the Organic Acts IF
Montana. Idaho and Utah Territories: add
them and portion Of Eastern Orc. on to
Nevada, and make one mighty Rocky Noun.
ain, sage brush, bunch grass. horn silver
md virgin gold State out of it, There is,
md probably will be for the next fifty
years. about enough population in it to
make powerful! S!a'c. And this arrange
ncnt would als.. afford the rca.icst solution
If the Mormon Question. 1t would put
hem under people. who know how 10
manage them, and who would do it.