Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-30
DAILY POST.INTELLleENCER
InE AnMl.sieN sILL..

rHg ADMISSION BILL--
Both Senator Dogph and Senator
Voorhees, have introduced bills provid
ing for the admission % Washington
Territory a. State. Both bills are. 10
most respects, literal copies Of 'hs bill
introduced by Senator Dolph daring
the Forty eighth Congress for ,ss same
purpose, that Of senator VOORHEES, being
the more Objectionable because It i'm
poses more conditions than ihsi Of
Dolph. Both bills are nnd@mocraiie
and, in their present form, ought not 70
pass Both impose conditions when
are unnecessary and odio1s. The pro-
pie OF Washington Territory are either
a, 10 govern themselves, OF they are not.
II they are not, the Territory should
no. be admitted into ihe Union ~
thew are--snd who will say they are
not3-the Territory should be admitted
an other States have been admitted :
mot hampered and restricted by unnso-
essary conditions, bat AZ the peer of
.nv other State in the Union II
washington Territory eanno, 20 into
the Uaisn az an equal, she does not
wish to 90 in st all.
II the people Of this Territore can
not be trusted 10 form constitution
that will not be repugnsnt TO the
Constitution Of the United States, they
arr not nt for Statehood. That, as ne
understand 1t, b the only condition that
Congress, When IL decides TO admit al
ali. las the right 10 ex act Of q State. The
imposition OF any further conditions
takes away by 20 much from the rights
of sovereignty 10 which the new State Is
entitled, equally With those already In
the Union.
Both the Dolph and the Voorhees, bill
smack too much Of paternai government.
All the provisions In the fourth section
of the Voorhees, bill, additional to those
in the same section OF she Dolph bill,
would be exoellent provisions IN the
Consultation OF the new State, bat they
are entirely out Of place in an enabling
act. The people should be left to pat
them in or leave them ont a. they
choose. OF the provisions in the same
ssctisn, common 10 both bills, two at
ct least are very Questionable and
ought no. 10 be imbeddsd 10 the Con-
stitution OF the new State, and mach
less ought they to be imposed upon her
In an enabling act as conditions 10 sd-
mission. One Of these conditions II
that Of limiting the aggregate debt OF
che State TO $4,000. The decision Of
the amount OF indebtedness TO be in
CURED BY the State can safely be left
20 the legislators whom the people may
elect. Emergencies may arise, as they
when the verv life of the commonwealth
might depend upon the ability 10
promptly raise very large sums OF
money. Such restrictions in a State
constitution are unwise. Sash restraints
might properly bc placed npon munich
palities. but not upon State.
The other Questionable proviso IN
the fourth section il the one prsvidinf
"That all grants and patents heretofore
made by the United States to settler,
and purchasers Of tide, swamp, over
flowed and school lands therein arr
confirmed by said State and the peopl,
thereof" The United States oertsinl,
never had any right TO sell, grant d
patent any tide lands within the Terri
terry, and probably no right. since th,
passage OF the swamp and school lane
acts. to dispose Of any swamp. over
flowed and school lands " within ca
borders. II the United States had sucl
right, there is now ne need Of its con
hrmation. II having no suoh right, !
has assumed TO dispose of the lands
Why should the oondoning of such |
wrong act DO imposed upon Us as con
dition 10 our admission, when that con
dltion impairs the rights Of sovereiRnt.
which the new State should EMO,
equally With the older States Ih
States a. soversigus own and soniro
oil that portion OF the shore betveel
high and low tide, and the State o
Washington, when II enters the Union
should enter with the full right TO dis
pose 81 the privileges att schiaR 10 such
shore, ~ her people see fit. Its right
IN this respect should be the same a
those possessed by all other States
This provision vas In the old bill o
Senator Dolph, and we Suspect that /
vn put there at the instiRsiiou Of ,hos
whom that Senator is supposed 10 req
resent moro Immediately than the pee
pie Of Oregon, and who have doubtful
title TO valuable property which the.
desire TO have confirmed. We presum,
that senator voorhees, has uawittinel,
copied this provision without under
standing its fall import,
There are many other provisions II
The bills which are eatirsly n necessary
An enabling act should be sinple, con
tanning no provisions sr restrictions
no, absolutely required by the peeulia
circumstances OF each case. Ii sheuls
aefne the boundaries Of the State, pro
vide fer The calling Of the convention
and the submission Of lis work 10 IN,
people for the transfer of the execn
tive and Judicial business Of the lem
terisl ofsAniEsiioa 10 the new Stat,
government n,ske tse necessary grant,
CT land for State purposes. ard maks
the provision. ~ the sole condition q
s<inaiss,on, thai the res State coussi,n
ton shail not be rrpasnsat 10 the Gen
sstation Of the United States W,
hcre tass ~hen Delegate VOORHEES, in
trcdaees his admission bill in n,
House. u vill BE- feand 10 be a bill o,
which the recommendations will be il,
brevisy and simplicity.
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ftSxn-S q. MerFisiald. eammonix