, 1888-03-22
WHY MOTT

rlLe Tor aumlseiOn, was uisCusscu
through the press, and although lew
papers were strongly in favor OF the
suggestion, IL did not receive great
deal OF encouragement, and SO the
subject was dropped. Now that there
is strong probability OF the pan
handle of Idaho being annexed u
Washing ton the old idea is revived by
the Tacoma News, and the article gives
most excellent reasons why division
should no agreed to, and is very fair
in it's suggestion ms to division line.
Considering the argument advanced
by the News we believe that there is
good sense in the suggestion and
would be willing to wait two years
longer il by SO dong two states could
bo made ont OF the territory instead OF
one. We do not take this ground for
any selfish motives While we would
like to see Spokane Falls made the
capital Of the proposed new
state, yet we would be perfectly
willing TO see some other locality
chosen, ii by that means IL division
could be accomplished. We believe
as the News does that the Pacific
coast will have too small voice, even
with an extra state, in the council of
the nation, and as there are many and
4 -. .h.. hnrInr
OF the Union that need legislation to
foster and protect, it is important that
provisions should be made now for as
large IL representation for the future in
congress as possible. The News han
dies the subject so well and SO plainly
shows wherein the benefits are to be
secured by divisian that we give the
article in its entirety, commendipg
the subject to the consideration Of our
readers
In. dispatch from Washington
yesterday Senator Dolph directed at
tenticn to the fact that il Washington
! territory ais admitted there will be but
! three states on the Pacific ocean,
while upon the same extent of sea
| coast upon the Atlantic there are four
trcrI states" Hitherto there has been
less diversity of interest on the Pa
| ciiic coast than ON the Atlantic. Set
Elements upon this coast were origin
ally controlled by the general impulse
the search for gold--aud San Fran
cisco early became the heart OF the
com mercial as well as the political
organism that extended along the
coast; and to great degree has CON
tinucd to be the center Of it's life. But
with new eastern connections ut VA
rious points and the development oi II
greater variety of commercial interests,
u process of diherentiation-if we may
use technical TERMINUS begun,
which will make this coast. 20 far us it's
physical features will allow, rs diverse
as the Atlantic sea board. Then with
the admission of Washington it will
will have only six Unitel : ties seu.t-
tore, while the Atlantic coast has
twenty.eight. After states are once
admitted il IL very difficult to divide
them. II the Idaho panhandle should
be annexed TO this territory, the possi-
bibility Of an adequate proportional
representation in the United States
senate would be much less. For the
division OF Idaho as proposed would
wipe that territory off the map, and
leave no ground for new state
Southern Idaho might be joined to
eastern Oregon and n new state thus
be formed il the division OF Oregon
were practicable. But ii southern
Idaho went to Nevada there would be
no chance for another state.
Ii there should be ~ delay in the
admission of Washington, long enough
to allow sufficient increase Of Eppu-
lation, which VIII doubtless come be-
fore another congress meets, IL would
he an admirable arrangement TO
aunex the pan handle to Washington,
then divide the territory into two
states, making the Columbia and
OkuuOgan rivers the boundary line. A
glance ut the map will show that such
Il partition well suits the geographical
conditions, and IL little study of the
population aud natural resources
leaves no room Tor doubt that two
states thus formed would have con-
gruous elements, with possibilities ol
rapid and continued growth. Each
sis,te.within less than IL decade would
have population OF half million,
and both would rapidly advance un-
til they became two of the most popu.
lotis and wealthy states in the Union.
The estimated population of Wash-
iugton territory last year was Ia OO9,
and the estimated increase Tor that
year was lS,i55. Since the tables
from which we take these figures We're
made Okanogan county has been
cut oil from Stevens. But with
out attempting TO apportion the popu-
lation OF that district within the bound
-. .,E xhn uin tna tNrnnIanI ~