The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-05-18
ANOTHER STATE-.-IS 1T TO
BEY

The San Francisco Golden Era OF the
18th inst. thus sensibly discusses the
question of the admission of our Ter
ritory into the Union as a State:
Ever since Webster came near trad
ing off the whole northwest territory
north of the Columbia and south Of the
49th parallel to Great Britain, for the
paltry right to catch Goldfish and mack
erel off the banks of Newfoundland, it
has been the fond hope of many old
pioneers to see their adopted home go
forward in wealth and importance I'M
I'll it becomes an equal of the greatest
State. Up to this time they have been
doomed to disappointment, and the
death roll numbers long list of active,
energetic men who died without seeing
their fond hopes realized.
The Territories have some rights.
The tax gatherer never fails to prompt
ly put in an appearance TO intimate to
the citizen what amount of taxes he
has the right and prtcilege to pay to the
Government in return for the fostering
care bestowed, and once in two years
they can be convulsed by the excite
ment attending the election Of Dele
gate who is courteously allowed . seat
in Congress and TO draw q Representa-
tive's salary; he is otherwise q sort of
an accredited beggsr. nothing more.
There never has been any good reason
assigned for keeping Territories in such
a condition. only "what is, is right"
Arguments can be brought forward
in favor of Washington becoming q
State that cannot be urged in the same
measure in behalf of any other Terri
tory. Some of them may be enumer-
ated here: The population, almost
wholly, is fixed and permanent; it has
no gold mines to which adventurers and
transient population flock; in Que
portion are vast and fertile prsries and
valleys, and river bottoms, if not al
ready thoroughly cultivated, are rapid
ly settling up, and great quantities of
grain are raised and shipped thence to
all parts OF the globe. The other por-
ton is the great lumber yard of the
world, and every year witnesses won.
derful advances in the development Of
coal fields that are practically mex
haustible, while its agricultural capac-
ity is year by year increased. Its com
mercisl relations, principally through
her lumber interests, extending all over
the globe, are fixed aud permanent;
and the commercial returns to the Gov
eminent are vastly in excess of that
from any other Territorial subdivision
Of the country. She has now. while in
q state of vassalage-no other term
seems SO applicable-the entire requis-
lite machinery of any of the old States
for collecting the public revenues; and
commercially speaking, is without .
peer among Territories. The popula-
tion when the last census was taken,
several years ago, was 40, 900, and there
has been constant stream Of immigra-
ton thither ever siuce. 1t is safe to as
supe that there is now 50,000-more
than Oregon contained at the time of
her admission In 1859, a1d Oregon at
this day has but one Representative,
drawing the same pay and perquisites
as Delegate. The Congressional ap-
portionment of 1856 or more ought
not to have serious adverse influence
on the question when the Inhabitants
OF the Territory announce their entire
willingness to assume all the attendant
expenses.
No matter what the absolute require
ments of the Territory are, she is utter
ly unable to obtain any concessions
from neighboring or other States that
will permit her to assume the dignity
and Importance that her position and
resources entitle her by right to assume.
For many years everything bowed
down to the overshadowing greatness
of California, and Oregon chafed and
fretted under the Injustice The case
is exactly the same at the North now !;
Oregon gets the credit for everything,
and is nowise backward about claiming
it. 1t is "Oregon Pine" lumber; "Ore-
gon Coal" Oregon Salmon" "Oregon
Hops" and "Oregon Wheat" when in
fact the truth is. one-half the salmon
are packed on the Washington Terri
tory side Of the Columbia, and the
Oregon Pine" is Puget Sound Fir, and
of this and coal the shipments are
twenty to one in her favor, and q con-
siderable portion of the grain should be
credited to Eastern Washington also
Oregon is IN no way delicate about ex-
tending political "fsvors" to her neigh
Dor, and has long been accused Of a de-
sire to absorb the entire Puget Sound
basin for the purpose Of thwarting the
existence Of dangerous commercial
rival.
Washington. having no votes in Con
gress, has no influence with which to
procure appropriations necessary for
public buildings and improvements.
The Sound Custom Collection District
is of infinitely greater importance than
one-haif the Districts in the United
States. yet the Custom House is located
in wretched old structure scarcely fit
for stable and barely able to stand
alone; her lighthouses are totally
inadequate for the demands of her
shipping; it took ten years begging to
obtain a paltry appropriation to save
the Capitol building from going to COM
plete decay; the rents paid for the
other public offices in the Territory
would have furnished them elegant FIRE
proof and commodicus structures.
While numerous sums of money are
being frittered away every year by
Congress in questionable or useless
enterprises. it is but natural for this
people to think that their wants and
absolute demands should receive little
attention.
There are still other reasons in favor
Of Washington being admitted as
State and given control of her own