Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-05-17
The Vote and Population of w ashing 2 ION
Territory.


i From the returns of the vote on dele
gates from Is counties which We copy
from the Tribune TO- day we infer that
the whole vote cast at the late election
will not exceed $500. This is small,
and could it in any sense be taken as
| the strength Of the voting population of
the Territory, it would be small argu-
ment in behalf Of a sufficient population
to sustain the burdens If state govern.
ment. But the Statesmen claimed that
not more than one fifth Of the voters
went to the polls, and if We take the
vote of Walla Walla county on the ques-
ton ofcongress,onal delegates and coun-
~ officers at the last election; and COM
pare it with the vote Of that county on
the constitutional delegates, the States
man might just as we'll have said that
not one ninth of the voters went to the
polls. But all the counties did not do
as Walla Walla county. They had not
the same elements of opposition at work
to keep the people away from the polls.
But in other counties or some of them
not one-fourth of the votets went to the
polls, as is evident from comparison with
former votes. The cause which led to
this neglect will here after be discussed.
and as we think It will be therein shown
that opposition to state government
for Washington had but very little to do
with this neglect among tho people. As
the statesman has changed ground on
the Importance of becoming state. and
yet says that not one fifth ofthe voters
went to the polls, it would not be im.
proper for US to assume his estimate to
be nearly correct, and from this data IS.
innate the present population of Wash.
incton Territory. The returns will ap-
L
proximate to S, 500 voters ut the late
| election. This multiplied by 5, would
give us 81 500 voters for the whole Ter
! ritory. In former estimate we made
| the number $4,000 voters and we are
not yet satisfied that VIC were not then
correct, and will not be ill full vote
Of the Territory is polled. Now assum
ing this last estimate to be correct, what
ratio does the voters sustain to the en-
tire population? But wo cannot gel,
the truth without q census. The Gen.
sus OF 1870 the voters Of the Territory
had ratio to the whole population Of
| about 5 to Is. Since 1870 it is well
known that more families have come to
the Territory in proportion 10 former
years, and hence the presumption is
that the proportion Of non voting popu
! lation has increaeed SO that now the
. ratio Of voters to whole white population
is not moro than to 20, or about one
, fourth. Assume then that the presen,
vote Of the Territory is 1880, and
multiplying this mum er by 4, and we
J would have 10000 as the present pop
] ulation of Washington. OF the ratios
OF voters TO population We are satisfied
that to 4 il about correct. But we
} think the estimated vote Of Washington
! is given too high by the Statesman's
I reasoning. The total vote is somewhere
between 10000 and $4,000, and the
true pnpulrtion Of Washington between
SO, 900 and 100 900. aud even With two.
) thirds Of this. amount, and with the
varied resources Of the Territory, and
with the additional population aud re-
sources Of North Idaho will any sane
man say that the people are not able to
sustain the burdens Of state govern
J ment. Who dare predict that ii admit
! ted 1t the next Congress. she would not
be the gamer in wealth. influence aud
/ population and general prosperity BY the
/ change. TO u it seems suicidal for
any citizen Of Washington 10 oppose an
! early admission a. q state, it matters moi
!, under whose administration.
!. .=s.s..--asss -.
: Rlue n10untaln 4 Columbia River n n.
!. The La Grands Gaxette Of the 4th