Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-12-29

MA, Whlch naa oeen commenced as
war measure and rushed through with
all the power Of unlimited capital prov,
ed so attractive as to create desire to
secure vonopoly of that profit, and
prevent the construction of any other
! transcoptinentalrou route, and as the man.
ayers u the Northern Pacific Reilroad
cndea tored from time to time to obtain
furths aid from Congress to enable
them TO hasten the construction Of their
road 'hey we're invariably opposed by
the Influence of California, and the in.
| fuSce of Oregon was to prevent the
construction Of road across the Cas-
cafe mountains, and Washington Ter
rto'y, the portion of the country most
nterested, having no votes in Congress,
was powerless to aid in the enterprise.
In 1870, when the bill authorizing the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company to
mortgage their lands and to extend
their road FROM Portland to point on
Puget Sound, the name Of the river
road was changed from the branch to
the main line, and the road across the
mountains to the branch. This was
not done by the desire Of the railroad
Company. They were compelled to do
so to obtain the votes Of Oregon
to their bill, without which it would
not pass. The managers Of Oregon
interests then imagined that building
hn vsU nd
from Portland to the Sound, would
obviate the necessity of a mountain
road, and it would never he built. Port
land would he the great commercial
emporium, and the Sound might have
her lcavings. Had we the same power
in Congress MS Territory that we
would AS State, Oregon would not
dare to do this, but as Territory has
no rights which member Of Congress
is bound to respect We could not help
ourselves
In addition TO this some people Of
Seattle and some others formed them.
selves into company, for the purpose
Of constructing railroad from Seattle
to Walla Walla, and an effort was
made to obtain aid from Congress in
its construction. The influence of Ore
gon was not only used to prevent any
national aid from being obtained, but
was also used to prevent private aid
from being accorded to the enterprise.
This was unjust, unneighborly and ig-
noble on the part of Oregon, injurious
not only to the people Of this Territory,
but to the nation at large. Were there
no Cascade mountains, the whole region
from Puget Sound to the Rocky noun.
tains would be densely populated to-
day, and whoever aids in preventing
the surmouuting Of the Cascade barrier
is retarding the development Of the
great Northwest, and the growth OF the
nation at large.
This is the great, the paramount rea-
son, why we should become State.
We are out of debt, have money in our
Treasury, we are able and willing to
support State Government, and our
interests imperatively demand that we
should possess States influence in the
halls of Congress. We are tired OF
being trampled upon. We ak no ia
vors, We simply demand our rights
Give us a lair field and we will fight
our own battles.
What can be said against orr adms
sion by Congressl The only objection
that has ever been conjectured is, VIC
have not the necessary population. We
have greater population than most
of the States that have been previously
admitted. But it is said that We have
not the population equal to the ratio
Of Representative in Congress and
therefore cannot be admitted. Let US
examine the question of representation
and see what it is. In all public assem-
blies, whether political or not, where
the people are to meet through Repre-
sentatives, the first act TO be done is tt
determine the number of Representa-
tives that shall meet. The next steI
is to divide he whole number Of people
to be represented by the number oi
Representatives. This gives the mum
Der of people who shall send one Rep
resentative, and is called the ratio o.
representation, and wherever there art
different States, counties or districts, Il
be represented the number of their in
habitants divided by the ratio gives
the number Of Representatives eacl
State, county, or district is entitled to
but as it would be impossible to find /
number by which the population of al
the States (wheie there are many coult
be divided without leaving any remain
der, these remainders must lie provided
for, and the rule is that remaindel
exceeding half the ratio shall have {
Representative, while remainders hav
ing less than half shall be Ignored
Consequently, if Washington, or any
other Territory having a population
greater than half the ratio of represen
tation applies for admission into Tho
Union as State, and is denied on &C
count of insufficient population, she ii
not treated justly.