Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-03-31


more than five at the utmost of these in
, the list equalcd this territory at the present
, time. These were Michigan. Wisconsin,
Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado. By the
time its constitution can he made and its
admission accomplished, its population
will doubtless exceed every one of these
new states when admitted with but two
two exceptions Michigan and Wisconsin.
The ordinance of lIS1, for the govern
mcnt of the territory northwest of the
river Ohio, contained six separate articles
of compact between the original states and
the people and states in said territory"
Provision was made in the 9TH article for
the subsequent subdivision of such territory
into states" or what are now termed or
ganiZed territories; and it WAS therein ex-
prcsSly declared that whenever any of
the said states have sixty thousand free
inhabitants therein, such state shall be
admitted by its delegates into the congress
Of the United States, on an equal footing
with the original states i'll ali respects
whatever, and shall he at liberty To form
a permanent constitution and state govern
| mcnt."
The act Of congress. May %, 1890, es-
tablished government for the territory
| south of the Ohio river declared that
| the inhabitants of said territory shall en-
JOY all the rights and privileges set forth
| in the ordinance of the late congress for
the government of the territory northwest
of the Ohio" BY common acceptation
at the time, this regarded as solemn COM
pact with such territories as might out of
the same, of suitable dimenitons for a
state, though fewer in number than those
into which the northwest territory was to
be subdivided; that each should be admit
ted into the Union whenever its free in
habitans should number sixty thousand.
When the bill for admission Of Tennessee
was under discussion in congress, this con-
struction and application were given to
these clauses by both the advocates and
| opponents of the measure, and indeed, no
one seemed to regard them in any other
| light.
| The act of congress of August IA, 1913,
for the government of the Oregon terrific
ry, employs language even stronger and
more explicit than that of the act for the
| government of the territory south of the
| Ohio. 1t declared, that the inhabitants
of said territory shall be entitled to enjoy
all and singular the rights, privileges and
| advantages granted and secured to the
people of the territory of the United
States northwest of the river Ohio, by the
articles of compact contained in the ordi-
nance for the government of said territory,
on the 18th day of July, 1885," The Ore
| gon territory has since been subdivided,
"a contemplated by these articles, into
smaller organized territories, suitable in
size to be erected into such states as com
pose our Union. Oregon, the largest is
soon as she was supposed to have, and be-
fore she actually had, the requisite sixty
thousand free inhabitants" was admitted
on FEBRUARY A. 1859 The friends of her
admission, in the debate in this house, eff
fcctually urged compliance with this COM
pact. Mr.. Stephens. now a venerable
member of this body, speaking for the
| committee having charge of the measure,
| and its other promoters, cOntcndcd for her
admission under this compact, though
it was generally conceded that her popu-
lation was much below the existing basis
of congressional representation.
| This compact, made with the people of
the whole of the original Oregon territory,
for the benefit alike of every person of
| it, in order ITO provide for the establish
ment of State and permanent government
therein, and for their admission to a share
in the federal councils on an equal footin g
with the original states at as early periods
as may be consistent with the general in
terest," and which was to forever remain
|
should be just as available in behalf of
one subdivision as another. The people
of Washington Territory are guilty of no
act or practice incompatible with our laws
and institutions, and have in no way for
feited their claim to its benefits.
And now, after having admitted so many
territories with so much less financial
ability to support a state government so
much less Of the elements of undeveloped
wealth and greatness. and so much less
population: after having admitted several
with less population than then constituted
the basis of congressional representation,
although it was far less than now; after
having had for many years, and still hav-
ing, states in the union, both original and
new" with less population than the n UNI
Der constituting such basis; after having,
at each apportionment for nearly forty
years given additional representatives in
congress to nearly half of the states of the
union, simply upon moiety of that num-
Der, and far less than the population of
this territory possibly can be, and with at
least one less pOpulous and less rapidly
growing state in the union, to deny the
application of these people would be in
vidious, unjust, and viOlative of the plight
ed faith of the nation.
In view of these facts and considerations,
the committee recommends the passage of
the accompanying bill as amended.
The Vote on the China Bill.
| WASHINGTON March, 23.-The long
and difficult struggle for the attain
ment of effective legislation to re-
strict Chinese immigration was
brought to triumphant conclusion
to-day; for in view of the overwhelm-
ing majority by which the bill was
passed by the House OF Representa-
tives, super added to tho vote by
which it passed the Senate, there i.
no longer any talk about veto, and
even if the President were capable
of entertaining such an idea the bill
would unquestionably be passed over
, his veto. An analysis of the vote on
: final passage of the measure without
and amendment shows q much lar
, ger proportion OF Republican votes
for it in the House than in the Sem
| ate, there being 65 Republican and
, 102 Democratic Representatives re-
corded in the affirmative and 81 Re.
r publicans and 4 Democrats in the
negative. The vote on Kasson'i
! amendment to reduce the term Of
t suspension to 10 years was made UP
3 as follows: In favor of the amend.
f ment, IS Republicans so Democrats
. against the amendment, "a Rspubli.
I cans and 81 Democrats. In these
|. statements the 7 or 8 greenback
and independent members who voted
> are classified according to their Gus
tomary qualifications on politica
: questions other that financial and nc
: account taken of members who were
+ paired or who dodge voting on either
!, side, being impossible at present tc
g ascertain facts in regard to them.
Butterworth' amendment to reduce
the term of suspension to Is years
}. obtained 81 affirmative votes against