The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-08
THE TERRITORIES.

The question or the propriety OF ad-
hitting several of the Territories to
the Union is just now being agltateo
and discussed as never before. Inc
partisan manner in which Dakota has
been treated has called special atten-
ton 70 the subject, and the newspapers
are beginning to understand the sl'ua
ton. The average editor has been IN
dor the imure ssion that the Territories
we're poor in purse and weak in popula-
ton. and that it was really great
kindness to them for the government
IN rule them as colonies, bearing por-
+ion of the expense for administration.
If has also been thought that the peo-
nIe in the Territories were largely OF
the Bitter Creek" type, given to
brswling and fighting, to the use OF the
bowis knife and revolver on the slight
ast nrovocation, and to making special
efforts to DEFY law and order. 1t has
been thought necessary for government
tn exercise control over these commun-
tiles, that the few decent, peace-loVing
people whose lots were cast among the
turbulent masses might be partially
protected in their rights.
A change is coming over the minds
of those who shape and direct public
opinion. knowledge is spreading. News
paper men are learning that instead of
being weak and incapable of self
government, financially and physically,
the Territories are far in advance Of
some of the States in material wealth
and in population, and that the laws
are enforced as strictly in the 'rowdy
west" as in staid old New England.
Editors, as they reflect on the matter,
are also getting it through their heads
that a great wrong, politically, is being
put upon the people of the dependencies
in governing them as mere colonists
with fewer rights and privileges than
any monarch:cal power grants to the
people in its colonies. Some editors,
when they understand that certain OF
the Territories are in advance of such
old States as Delaware, Florida,
Nevada, and Rhode Island in the mat
tiers of property and population, are
asking why the Federal treasury should
be taxed for the governmental expenses
of the COLONIES" We reproduce
below an editorial article from the Chi
cago Times. It touches upon one phase
of tie question, and is fair example OF
the tone of the writings on the subject
Theinterest now manifest in this mat
Ter is indicative of the early admission
of some, at least, of the long oppressed
Territories and the consequent narrow
ing of the limits of the evil. We quote
the Times editorial in full:
In the presentation of mere routine OF in
formation conce rning the Territories, q su o
ject appertaining to the Department of the
Interior, Secretary Villas makes substan-
tally an FrIument for the admission of new
states The purpose is not apparent anC
NAV not exist, but the effect can not but
further the Republican plan for the speedy
admission of several of the embryonic
In area of sq1are miles as in every otnel
Statistical item Dakota leads. The popuia-
ton the secretary states has increased from
$4,000 in 1880 to over 100000 of which two
thirds are natives of the territory Of tht
thirty-eight existing states, many of which
have likewise grown in population since
1880, the TINS notes that the following
appeared in the showing Of 1850 under
some OF them il viii be seen considerably
under-the present estimate of Dakota:
Colorado. ...... 1874 1877 New Ham shire3l6 go
Delaware. ..... 146 COS oregon. IVA 76
Florida. .. 269 495 Rhode Island. .276 SO
y Nebraska 49, 40l Vermont 49,. .332 %
Nevada ........ bZ,ZOtl
Maine and West Virginia, by the SAM
census, were shown to have population o.
less than 100000.
graded as follows:
Utah. .... 000Ol Idaho 100 10
New Mexico 175, 000 wyoming 49,. S9,0V
Washington. =. 167, 1891 Alaska. .....-.. 1885
An estimate of the population OF Arizon'
is not given in the synopsis OF the secre
tary's report Another grouping may b,
desirable as indicating the relative stand
ing of these territories, and herein as in al
other respects Dakota easily leads, as ma.
be expected when it is shown that Dakota
wheat crop OF 62,555,499 bushels is large
than like harvest in any State of the Union
and when wheat alone, though conspicu
ously its crop, is far from indicating it
agricultural wealth which includes tn
whole range of cereals The second group
ing pTODOsSu ny INC tHtCS CUucernS CQe eS
timated aggregate wealth of the territorie
based upon tRXables. The order in this re
gard is:
Dakota $500. 100000 Montana lex
Washington 252, 900, 900 elusive of
Utah - 140,0000C0 mines). SEQ COO, 20
New Mexico l30, 900 900 Idaho 640O0,OC
Arizona -. IS 100000 Alaska -. 25,OOOOC
Estimates of Wyoming are not given
Dakota's position of leadership among tn
territories is undoubted. II ought to be ad
mitted to the union, but because it lead
not all the territories but also several O
the states it is not entitled to double stat
hood and four senators. Out of the laTg
area and the vast population of New Yor
and Pennsylvania or Ohio and Illino
come but four United States senators. d.
Rota must not be too ambitious The reput
lican program specially favors Dakota, MOI
tana, and Washington. II will not conse1
TO think of Utah, ostensibly because of th
Mormon question. but really because :.