The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-22
WEDNESDAY EVEN'G, JAN. %, 1877
.DyIIsgIOy OF NEW STATES.

Colorado, Utah, and several other terri
tories are pushing vigorously for admls-
sion, but with small hopes Of success. OF
these Utah has by all odds the most popu-
laton and general development, and the
best claims to admission. Congress, how
ever, has passed law, interdcting adj
mission to any state, until it has attained
the population required to cntitle it to
representative in Congress. II is difficult
to see how that body can ignore this law,
and it certainly will not be repealed.
Besides, there is a growing reluctance to
increase the number Of Senators who rep
resent mere territorial expanses.
Nevada, with only forty thousand
people, stands in the Senate as the
peer of New York with its four mil
lions Whatever may be the apology for
permitting this monstrous inequality at
first, there is certainly none for continuing
to multiply such outrages on republican
equality. The vast areas of the West are
divided into territories, sparsely peopled,
but each aiming to secure early admission
to the Union. These prospective states, if
admitted, would each be entitled to two
Senator's. They would control the Senate
as at present constituted. They would be
able thus to block all legislation or control
it in their own interests.
This is the logical result of continuing
tae present policy of admitting new states.
Whatever may be said Of the " compro.
misses Of the constitution" we take it that
the people will hardly be disposed to extend
those compromises now.
There is no excuse for this monstrous
inequality Of representative power in the
Senate, and sooner or later it aoM be rem
edied, as it ought to be, by making the Sen
o'ors electiUe, and placing them upon a
TeDreSeRtatire basis as the state Senators
aoeo are. But while the present constitu'
ton OF the Senate continues, no state
should be admitted to senatorial represcn-
tation, until its population reaches a
fair average of that of the existing states.
This the people of the old states have q
right to demand. Every mans represent
alive value should equal that 81
every other in both branches b'
Congress. If by any general COM
promise under old conditions this just
principle has been violated, we may BE-
compelled to submit. But there is nc
apology for extending the wrong now
Self interest, sound policy, and fidelity tc
republican principles alike demand that the
people who live in the old States should
have their just and equal weight in the
government Of our common country
1t is infinitely better to discourage tht
yagrant tendencies of our population
and keep it compact than to spread
it oat thiny over vast areas, ex
posed to danger from hostile tribes,
aud too sparse to permit the growth of 9
high civilization. The calls that are made
upon as for the protection of an insignif
cant portion of our people thus scattered
constitute an immense burden, amounting
to more than half the total expenses o
the government. We may well inquir
whether 1t pays to encourage thi
wandering and semi-barbarous instinct a
such fearful cost? Certainly we do no
see the sense Of building up rotten borough
like Nevada to vote money out of our owl
pockets, and to oGgadondize at our expense
We do not see why We should offer tn
premium Of making a mans politica
power one thousand times greater VIII
settles in a Western territory. Every goo
man who goes from the older states t
those wids is great material loss to u.
and we maintain him there at vast eXpens
to ourselves. Except in rare cases,
is also an immense loss to him and to hi
family. The true policy Of the states is
to discourage emigration to the scild land
of The interior for The remainder Of tn
century. They have lands within the
present boundaries amply sufficient to a;
commodate acell, all the possible increas
of population during the next century. B
improving these and building up compac
and intelligent society, the states and tn
nation, will grow rich, prosperous, an
powerful.