Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-12-13

rolympia Courier. /


Today ths Courier presents on the OPP
posite page some ofhclsl figures which
peculiarly bear npon the plea OF WASH
iuQton Territory for admission 90 q
State. PInnging at once into the sub
jscs, We will assert that the Territory
nov posseeses every requirement under
the spirit and letter of the constitution
and the declared laws OF ConRress. The
spirit Of the constitution IL that Terri
tories may be admitted at the discretion
OF Congress whenever they show sufh-
oient population 10 justify State organ
izaiion and natural and developed re-
sources enough 20 support L without
overburdezing the people. We claim
that Washington Territory meets bSth
Of these obligations to degree abso-
lutely convincing. Our election tables
show total vote Of 4l.s42, of which
1868 were females; leaving a total male
vote Of 90, $50. Bv tho census OF 1880 il
was absolutely established that the ratio
of population to the voter Al. This
would give Us population, a. expressed
by this vote, Of Isl, ass. while the repre-
sentative unit at this time is only Isl ,906.
Thns il will be seen that Washington
Territory has $500 more population than
the strictest Interpretation Of the spirit
or law of tho land could possibly de-
mand. Il 10 interesting TO study the
growth by ycars which has brought N
10 this total of population. Elsewhere
No give the matter in the form of table.
A comprehension Of orr marvellous ad-
vancement may be gained, however. in
comparing the population Of 1876 with
that Of 1884. In 1876 We had popula-
ton of 1862; in 1884 We have l67, 456; a
gain of ll0,694 in eight years. The
growth Of our material resources daring
the same period 10 equally surprising.
Ia 1876 we had an assessed valuation OF
SIS, l39, 078; or, In round figures, 1876 To
each inhabitant; while in 1884 the valu
alton reaches $5l. 006, 484, or 1884 to each
inhabitant. Through all the period Of
oar Territorial existence the material
development has kept pace or exceeded
the growth of population, and it requires
bat statement OF the figures to CON
vince the most skspticai that our future
10 founded upon q certainty OF wealth
and enduring prosperity. We are not
booming upon mining excitement; we
are not demanding admission az State
upon improved specnlations or doubtful
probabilities, bus upon certain and
tangible wealth of resource and ability
for self maintenance.
Reforming to the question of popuia-
ton and what Congress may demand Of
as. IL Ia useful to look into the records
Of admission and seek out the contin-
gencies under which other Territories
went into the sistsrhood Of States. At
the time of the foundation of the con
AZ "A ,l.t lisa a
10000. The State of illinois was ad
misted when IL had but 1929, while the
representative unit was "a $50; Vermont
came in with IS, 425. Kentucky with ~ :
667, Tennessee with 81 600, Ohio with
Is, 365. Louisiana With 1856. of which
81. $50 were slaves; Indiana With &C, S97,
Missouri with 66,557, and all of these
fell below the ratio established by Con-
gress. Since that time not Territory
has been admitted with population, as
shown by the census, equal to the repre-
sentative unit. Arkansas caEae in with
q, coo whites when the ratio was Il. 100;
Michigan came in with population of
81. $50, tina ratio still being 1900; Flor
ida cama in when the ratio was 70,6S0,
with only %, 760; Iowa came in with a
population of AZ, liz while the ratio was
1850, aud Wisconsin had bat 30,945.
Minnesota hid by the preceding census
only 6077 when she joined the sisterhood;
California had 90 ,507 when the ratio re-
CURED 81, 423. and Oregon came in with
$500 under the same ratio. Delaware,
one Of the original states. has now only
a population of li6,65t-1S,S02 less than
Washington Territory. Nevada, with
full participation In the councils Of the
nation, has only population OF 81, 265.
or 95,l9i less than Washington Terri
tory. Kansas went into the Uniou with
f07. 2O6. when the ratio required l27, 3Sl.
Then what more can Congress ask of
Washington Territory? L. not our
claim for admission based upon justice,
and backed by stronger points in eqaity
than we're ever before presented by a
candidate?