The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-09-18
County and City Official Press.
Monday, Sept. l6, 1873.
THE STATE CONVENTION
PROPOSITION.

The Legislature at its last session
passed new act to provide for the
formation Of a constitution and State
government FOR the Territory Of Wash
ington." THIS, in some Of its provisos,
10 On improvement on the former
abortive acts for the call Of consiitu-
tional convention. Instead of stipulat-
Ing - heretofore. that only votes on
which shall he written or printed the
words +" For convention" or " Conven
ton yes" shall be counted in favor Of
the measure, and all others. indiscrim-
instely, against it. it enacts that only
votes on which shall be printed the
words Against convention shall be
counted in the negative, and those cast
For convention" affirmatively, and
the count shall be made Independently
from that for delegate. u majority Of
tho specific votes on tho proposition
deciding for or against the call.
There will be few il any questions
involved in the coming election of great
er Importance To the people Of Wash
ington than this Of application for sd-
mission into the Union as . State. 1t
Is true We have not yet population
enough TO demand admission Of our own
right by law. but then We do not need
for that reason to lie down TO . Rip
Van Wrinkle sleep and wait until we do
have enough. There is possibility in
that case, that the ratio Of apportionment
will move forward on the sliding scale
faster than our population does. We
need admission and the consequent po-
litical representation. in order to obtain
the means to development. As it il
now. We are subject to repression by
our commercial rivals. The powerful
patronage and fostering resources of the
government. manipulated. so far IS tins
coast is concerned. by tho Senators and
representatives of our neighbor States,
is used. - far as possible. to divert and
dry up the springs Of our prosperity,
even to break up our territorial dimen-
sions.
This measure Is the only thing that
can give to national party questions and
political lines Of dcmarcation, that di-
vide and stir the people Of thu Union at
large. any special significance in this
Territory whatever. 1t seems necessary
even to the preservation Of the integrity
Of our Territorial domain--riie the Sc
cession agitation in Walla Walla and
Columbia.
Though We have not the number Of
people prescribed as prerequisite to ad-
mission. neither did Oregon, nor indeed
the majority of recent States. when adj
ssitted. There is no better reason Why
Washington Territory. after having
served . territorial apprenticeship OF
nearly quarter of . century. should
not be admitted with 10000 people,
than Nevada. ten or twelve years ago,
with IS, 600 estimated.
As State We should have the same
voioe in the Svpate - New York or
Pennsylvania. and in the House - Ore
gon or Nevads. To such representa-
ton wc are entitled by the genius OF
the constitution. for the siatesmanlike
foresight Of Jefferson and his compeers
In framing that charter of our liberties,
provided that the Senate should he
representative Of territorial interests,
disfinctively. IS the House is OF popa-
lar.