The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-09-15
DUBOIS ON ANNEXATION.

mission of Washington into the
states of the Union with North
Idaho attached and for the annexa-
ton of the balance of Idaho to Ne
vada was taken up in the Senate
on the 4th instant, discussed at
length and laid on the table. The
seators who spoke on the bill were
Mr.. Plat of Connecticut, Mr.. Gull
lom of Illinois, and Mr.. George of
Mississippi, all of whom expressed
themselves as opposed to any dis
memberment of Idaho. Mr.. Gull
lom made a very able speech in be-
half of our territory and deserves
the gratitude of the people. He
also read a paper prepared by Del
egate Dubois, from which we ex-
tract the following:
The only reason l can see for this in
novation upon all precedent is to gratify
the territorial avarice f sirroundiny
states; for it is an admitted fact that no
such precedent Can be found in our his
tory, nor in that of any modern State or
country. except perhaps the unholy Oh
liberation of Poland from the map of
Europe.
Twenty five States have been admitted,
and the antecedent Territorial rights of
each have been definitely fixed and set
tied by the usages of century.
The principle and practice have become
fundamental law, and should he respected
as final settlement Of the grave CUES
ton now before Congress. Thus it seems
to he reserved for the Territory of Wash
lngton and the State Of Nevada to make
this unexpected and unprecedented at
tack upon the rights and boundaries of a
Territorial organization Of twenty five
years standing for no other reason. so tar
as we can discover, than to aygrandize
each by the spoliation and dlsmember
ment of the great and growing Territory
of Idaho.
Nevada has rare possibilities of great
ness within herself. The geographical
position of the State of Nevada, upon
the great table lands of the northern TEN
perate zone, makes her favored base for
the grasses indigenous to Chill and Peru,
and enables her to support vast herds and
fiocks by the introduction of a little of
the enterprise and thrift wi, ca makes
Idaho SD desirable an acquisition.
1t Nevada be in such condition as tn
require all from without to maln'ai
statehood, would it not he wiser policy
for the General Government to make ap
preparations to develop its resources and
enable 1t to build and construct system
OF irrigating canals to utilize its millions
upon millions of acres of desert lands,
and thus prepare the same for settlement
and cultivation?
Idaho has done this without assistance
from the revenues of the nation, by the
wealth, the energy, industry and enter
prise of its own people.
wish not to be understood, by the
display OF square miles in the above out
lines, that the population is not after all
the essential element of prosperous States.
One reference to the census of 1880 will
tell more On the subject than a volume of
argument. That census shows in round
numbers that the increase in the previous
decade was near 100000; two thirds
OF this immense aggregate, or about 8,
600, 600, are CT edited to the States and
Territories lying west Of Louisiana, Ar
kansas, Missouri and Iowa, and 4,OOO,O 900
to the east of this line. The coming and
centennial census of 1890 will swell this
enormous increase to at least 15,OOO,O 900
or, perhaps 18,O0O,O6O. The conclusion
to be drawn from these premises viii
show 100000 of this increase for the
west to 100000 for the east in the above
lines Of division.
As Idaho is just coming into distnc-
ton before the migrating people of the
world, and as it lies in the track of the
great continental lines of railway, and
has lands in plenty and exhaustless mines,
forests and rivers, with climate unex-
ce!led. and people ever ready to do a
great work, l predict our population at
the next census will be fully $50, 900 souls
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