, 1885-12-31
The Statehood Question.

Il states Of Washington territory
SAYS:
We have moro than once had oc-
| casion TO say the democrats will
commit a fatal blunder if they allow
This session to elapse without passing
enabling acts for both Washington
| and Dakota. There is absolutely no
| reason why both should 10. bc admit
ted to the union. They have the re
quisite population; that population is
| increasing: the resources of each ter
rltory are varied; there Is not the
smallest danger of either eyer becom-
ing pocket borough; both g in
hubited by a population distinctively
American, and fit to exercise the
franchise No possible argument
against enabling acts can lie urged
except the mean objection that both
| states, if admitted would send repub-
,ican members to the senate If the
democrats think they can afford to
be governed by an argument of tf!is
caIiber they are mistaken.
That is what the people will re
gard as being partisans first and
! citizens dfterward. Such partisans
the people of the United States Will
vote down at the polls every time.
The rank and file of the democracy
will not stand such narrow minded
meanness. 1t might suit few pro
tessional politicians of the type of
the Louisiana senators, or the moss-
backs OF Indiana: but it will not 90
| Il DWn with the democrats at large
| throughout the country. As TO the
| republicans, they could ask for
nothing better-in a party po itical
point of view-than the rejection bv
the house of the demand of Wash
ingtOn and Dakota for admission.
1t would strengthen their party in
every northern state; it would pro
badly give them additional votes
| enough to turn the scale in states
where the parties are evenly balanced.
If they could go before the people
with the cry that two American
communities, with adequate popula-
ton, of American birth and adoption,
are denied admission to the union
because the politics of their people
do not accord with the politics Of a
majority of the house of representa-
tives, that cry alone would go far to
insure republican success in 1883.
We all remember the moral effect of
| the refusal of the southern senators
to admit Kansas. The democrats
will be singularly unwise if they re
peat the blunder
Meantime the people of Wash
/ N trtAT0 .,rI IGlI-,Ep I1Arrll - F,,l
30 afford their enemies no opportunity
Of claiming that they are unfit for
membership III the union. Orderly,
aw-abiding, peaceful behavior is
what the situation calls for"
Commenting on the above the Ia
coma Lcdgcr says:
I'VE are grateful to the Chronicle
for its kind words. There is not the
least doubt that Washington territory
Is just as we'll fitted to become Il state
! OF the American union as any of the
new states. We have permanent
population of home building people.
Our prosperity rests upon a solid
basis. We are amply able TO sustain
the burdens of statehood and should
be invested with its responsibilities.
As the Chronicle says, the only argu
ment that can be urged against our
admission is that The new state would
send two republican senators to
Washington. While this is the real
reason of the disfavor with which
democratic congressman look upon
the proposition to grant Us our rights,
I ~ .s,fr ral -
eastern democratic newspapers that
it would be unjust to the millions of
inhabitants of Il great state like New
York to allow state with a popula-
ton of 100000 the same representa-
ton in the senate that New York has.
This sort of an argument Is mere
| clap-tra The constitution of
the United States government
is based upon the principle of
equal representation of the states in
the senate, entirely regardless Of
their population. To break down
this safe guard would he to destroy
the state governments, and form one
central, despotic government i'll their
stead.
The argument that Washington
territory ought not to. be admitted to
the union because the Lew state
would have the same representation
in the senate that the older and more
populous states have come with Ill
grace from the democratic party
which has always claimed to be the
especial champion of the doctrine of
state sovereignty.
while We are grateful to the
| Chronicle for its kind words, we
resent the imputation contained in
the suggestion that meantime the
people of Washington and Dakota
should he careful to afford their
enemies no opportunity for claiming
that they are unfit for membership
IN the union. Orderly law abiding,
peaceful behavior is what the situa-
ton calls for" We challenge the
Chronicle to point out within the
territorial boundaries OF the United
States a community of 100000 more
peaceful, industrious and law-abiding
people than the inhabitants of the
territory of Washington"