Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1884-11-14
THE PEOPLE or tbAHO AMI
THEIR NEEDS

ne people u ludlo uOiSio ~
natural and laudable desire to see the
name of Idaho emblazoned on the
banner of the Union as free and
equal State. The Territory has a
population Of $4,000 and it is increas-
ing by immigration and natural means
at the rate Of twenty per cent. year
Iy, having more than doubled in pop
ulation during the past four years.
The inhabitants are thrifty, enter
prising and economical. Most Of
them, having come to the Territory
at great Inconvenience to themselves
to better their conditions in life, have
settled down to the work with a de-
termination that always commands
success. They have created cities,
reclaimed deserts, spotted the hills
thickly with cattle and forced the au-
riferous and argentiferous deposits
from the depths of the earth into the
treasury of the world. Despite all
this they are virtually DISTINGUISHED
citizens. The dearest thing to every
true American and there is no truer
American than the frontiersman-is
the right to vote for the Chief Mag
istrate of his country. He cannot do
this until the Territory, in which he
has made his home, becomes State.
A foreigner can land at the Battery,
IN New York, enjoy all the benefits
of advanced civilization and vote in a
few short years, and if he is sharp
and quick may become an office-hold-
or almost as soon as he becomes cit
izen. The injustice of this is too OBJ
vious to need comment. However wise
and generous the policy of the gener-
al government may be and is to the
Territorial charges under its care, the
community cannot thrive as when in
the sovereign stature OF free and
State she exercises all
the rights inherent to Statehood. 1t
is as though the wings Of the eagle
were clipped, he can see the ether
fields aloft and far away but strives
IN vain to reach them. With all the
Territories in need of some legisla-
ton, and only one man, who is little
more than an ex-member lobbyist, on
the floors of Congress, from each, to
protect Territorial interests, in the
multiplicity of public business and
private enterprises that press upon
Of Congress, the Territories
have but little chance to obtain what
they require. We lack public build
lngs, railroads, canals, systems of IT. I
rigation, the construction of which all
require the exercise of the right of
eminent domain, possessed by State
over its area. We need the right to
grant subsidies to railroads, to issue
bonds and authorize counties and cit
les to do likewise for the furtherance
Of needed improvements. Finally
we need tho power to regulate our
domestic institutions according to or
ganic law, to prevent the encroach-
nents OF the monster polygamy, that
low casts the shadow of its black and
leadly wing athwart our peaceful
,omes, prosperous acres and rich min
'raI belts which ought to be the ex- \
elusive property of the present day
utilization in the Territory. / most
especially represent that, as we now ;
lumber over $4,000 inhabitants and
re augmenting by an ever increas-
ng ratio, and that at the present rate
+ increase we shall have reached
maximum of 100000 before the Con- 7
ress elected In "a shall have passed :
ito history, that Congress should act