The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1873-09-18
GOVERNOR BENEFITS LETTER.

o. r, Morton, Chairman Of the Senate Com.
mittee On Privileges and Elections, which we
find published in the Statesman of the 18th
inst. The Governor presents, in forcible
manner. the claims of the people of the organ.
ICED Territories to rightful representation in
the affairs of the General Government, and ia
voice in the selection of the Chief Magistrate.
There 10 neither sense nor reason in the present
policy of keeping the people Of the Territories
in a state Of vassalage, exacting of them all
the duties Of citizens and denying them oil the
privileges. We pay taxes to the General Gov.
ernment, are subject to the same laws Of Con.
gress as ore citizens of the several States, and
are liable to military service; and yet we are
denied any representation whatever. and are
politically disfranchised, SO far 40 having any
voice in the councils Of the nation, and in the
selection of the chief executive officer Of the
Government. The ignorant plantation negroes
of the South are clad in the full panoply Of
citizenship, armed with the ballot as necessary
for the protection of their persons aud proper
ty. while the intelligent white people OF the
Territories are ignored, and the pioneers OF
the great West, who seek their fortunes in
new regions. outside of State lines. and devote
the best years OF their lives in reclaiming the
wilderness and carving new States out Of hith.
erto UNEMPLOYED regions, are considered I'M
worthy the privileges and immunities of citizen
ship. 1t is high time that some steps were
taken to rectify this outrageous and defective
policy in vogue for the government Of the Ter
ritOries.
There is scarcely Legitimate subject OF leg.
slation that comes before Congress in which
the people of the Territories are not equally
interested with those of q State, and yet we are
denied voice in all measures, no matter hoy
vitality our interests may BE- affected. We are
actually in q state of peonage to the General
Government, aud what few rights We have ac-
corded to Us, to exercise through our local
Legislatures, are by permission only. subject
to revision by Congress. and liable to be swept
away at any time through the whms and ca
prices of the members of that body. In fact
bills were introduced at the last session which.
in effect, would, if passed. totally disiranchlse
the peopl. of the Territories, aud deny them
county officers. reducing them to 4 state Of
vassalage worse than that of any petty province
belonging to the most arbitrary of European
powers.
In the government Of the Territories there
has been but little improvement on the system
adopted, or inaugurated. by the ordinance OF
the Congress of the Confederation Of l7S4.
In 1857, in an ordinance governing the Terri
tory northwest Of the Ohio. it was provided
that the Legislature Of the Territory might
elect Delegate to Congress. who should have
the right Of debating. but no vote. The act
organizing the Territory OF Wisconsin, ia 1886,
instituted some reform in the territorial gvv.
ernments, and but little. If any improvement
has been made in the system since that time.
Tae Organic acts Of the different Territories
organized since 1896 appear, in fact. to have
been patterned after the act organizing the
Territory of Wisconsin. only few slight aud
immaterial changes being apparent.
What we need, and what We have right to
demand. is, that our political disabilities BE- re-.
moved by an amendment to the Constitution.
1t was found necessary to amend that instru.
ment in order to confer the right Of suffrage
upon the negroes; and we think the white
people Of the Territories are entitled to equal
consideration. If all men are created free
and equal, and taxation without representation
is contrary to the spirit of Democratic or Re.
publican institutions, then there is no good
reason why the people resident in the Terrific.
ries should be deprived of any right or priv.
lege exercised or enjoyed by citizens elsewhere
We are glad that Governor Bennett has inter
ested himself 10 the matter and called the ut.
tention Of Senator Morton to the unjust disa.
bities under which we labor; and we hope
the press throughout all the Territories will
continue to agitate the matter until We obtain
some redress for our grievances. Let the mat
ter be brought home to the Committee on
Privileges and Elections. and then the Dele
gates from all the Territories, by uniting their
efforts, may succeed in procuring recogni.
ton Of our rights in the amendments, il any,
proposed for ratification by the several States
ANOTHER CHANCE.-The woman suffrage
shriekers now have another chance to descant