The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-07-28
THE ANNEXATION CUES
TON.

Walla Statesman says that nine out of
ten of the inhabitants Of the Walla Wal
la valley are in favor Of having that
part of our Territory annexed to Ore
gon. and that upon the reassembling of
Congress in December next, 1.-The lst of
January should mark the annexation
of Walla Walla valley to the State Of
Oregon"
That this desire is reciprocated by
the people Of Oregon | have good rea-
son 10 know, for during a recent visit
to Portland took occasion to ascertain
the views of leading men il that city
Moreover it is intended by the Senators
and Member from that State to push
the enterprise through during the next
sesS OF Congress.
The efforts of one single Delegate,
will be powerless to prevent it. and we
will find ourselves consigned to con-
dition of puny provincialism which no
American citizens of any spirit will
NhOtiit W any ~ 10 tpFSSibiI
10 avoid it by removal elsewhere. The
admission of the remaining portion of
the Territory as State will be post
poned so far into the future, that but
few now living will ever witness it.
The scheme as now presented must be
defeated This can be done in one of
two ways.
First. let eastern Oregon, eastern
Washington, and that part of Idaho
lying north of he Salmon Mountains,
be constituted the Territory CT Wash
ington," ana that part lying west of
s's~ Cascades be annexed ~ Oregon as
an equivalent for loss os eastern terri
tory There would be but little, if any
loss, to Oregon, OF population, and the
new territory would gain immensely in
the mere compacting people into a
home government, with similar indus
trial pursuits and mutually of interest
Thus the desire for government nearer
home would be gratified, and with
Walla Walla as the capital--center of a
fertile province--it could not be many
years before the new State Of Wash
ington would be admitted into the
Union. Indeed. with population
much greater than Nevada has, Con
gress might admit her ere the Centen-
nial year has gone, thus crowning the
century with the glorious name of
Washington.
The advantage of this change to Ore
gon would be very distinct. 1t would
make her u more pronounced Pacific
Coast State, with an ocean line nearly
as long as that of California. 1t would
add immensely to her political and
territorial power, and bring together
under one government u compact people
with similar tastes, like pursuits, aud
common Interests.
Second. A still better plan would be
to annex the whole OF Washington Ter
ritory to Oregon, providing in the act,
as in the case of Texas. for the admis-
sion of that part lying cas-. of the Cas-
cades AS ~ separate State. whenever n
fixed minimum of population should
be reached.
This would at once make Oregon
what she ought TO be. balancing
power upon the Pacific Coast. Now.
she is but an outlying province (com
mercially) of California. With this
accretion of population she would be
entitled to two members in the lower
house. aid thus double her political
strength.
She would own and foster into living
force vast mineral and manufacturing
resources of the Puget Sound basin
She would tie together with bands of
iron the sources of the Willamette and
the waters of the Sound-the agricultu.
tursl wealth of the Willamette valley
and the timber. coal, and iron, of the
Sound. The Columbia with its wealth
of fisheries would be all hers, and
under her control to foster and protect
that important industry.
The desire of the people of Walla
Walla 10 be separated from Us Is very
natural one. They are far removed
from the capitol, aud there is but little
commercial. and no social. intercourse
between the people Of the two sections
The Cascade mountains present an
almost impossible barrier To any prac-
ticable interchange of products. and
between different governments and
people.
A similar state o: things exists even
in Oregon, where the people have 10
complaint 10 make of the evils Of a
provincial government. The people of
Eastern Oregon have and do constitute
IA sort Of outlyin Province, and doubt
not, would even prefer a territorial
government nearer home. than their
present condition. Anyhow, the pros
pect of home State government in the
near future would arm them to endure
proviucialism for short time
do not wait 70 compute areas or
populations, nor do stop 10 elaborate
or argue--there Will be time enough
for that when the probable protests OF
officials are heard | only know there
is pressing need for Immediate and
intelligent action on the part OF those
Of US who are west Of the Cascades.
Ii we DO not awake. we will be bound
hand and foot for a lifetime. aud might
rather be subjects In an East Indian
province, than a ward for life under a
territorial government. c. II. l..