St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-11
THE NAMES OF THE STATES
Something About the Group of
CommOnwealths Which Compose
the Union.

Commonwealth Which Compose
the Union.
The great group of commonwealth
which compose the United States is as
a whole very fortunate in It's roll of
names. They have at once flavor of
the soil and a fitness to their place and
use which constitutes high excellence,
says the Boston Advertiser. In general
they have dignity, melody and char
and they have beyond a doubt helped
to cultivate the patriotic and loving
sentiments with which they are aSSOci-
ated in the minds of good citizens.
The best by far, as well as the most
numerous, are those which are indigo
nous. Whatever the fate of the Indian
race may be it has contributed to Amer
can civilization fund of names, sure
to be perpetuated and priced more and
more, and those which have been apprO-
priated by the states are among the
best. They are melOdiOus and fine, and
If there is here and there harsh COM
binatiOn, as in Connecticut and MaSSa
chusetts, time and use have SmOOthed
the rOughneSs, and made them favorlte.
Nothing could be better than Alabama,
Ddhoto, tuaHo, AcituChy, NCoioohd,
Ohio and Oregon; and if any reader
wishes to extend this list, by add
ing his own favOrite name, or
that of his native state, he can do so
freely and safely. There is not name
of the thirty of native origin which we
could willingly spare or change. There
are three names of native growth,
though not of Indian origin, which are
felicitouS and worthy of their place
Indiana, Montana and Vermont.
1t is scarcely to be regretted that a
small contingent of these names has
been transformed and transported from
Europe. They furnish an agreeable
variety. and most of them are worthy of
the august use to which we have put
them. Naturally these are among the
were emancipated from long-lin-
gering half-homesickness in the
Western wilderness, and while in
frequent contest and constant
dread of the Indians they were
scarcely prepared to appreciate the
beauty and nobility of the names with
which the red men had enriched their
rivers lakes and mountains. Hence
ten of the original thirteen names be-
long to this European group. Louisi-
anna has pleasant suggestion in her
name of her history and Georgia, Maine,
Maryland, Carolina and Virginia as
names have historic flavor which ell
nance their value. The poorest of our
state names are the three which trans
port names of English counties,
good in their place, and dis
tinguish them by the prefix New"
far better as Chocorua, Laconia or
Merrimac, and it is not less than ma
tiOnal misfortune that our Empire state
was not ennObled by the splendid name
Ontario. 1t was left for wiser neigh
bOrs on the north to appropriate this
fine word, to which our title
was of the best. The duplication of
the same name New York for both the
state and her great city is especially in
delicious. producing confusion when it
is not avoided by inconvenient circum-
lOcutiOn. All which is the more to be
regretted when so fine Il name as Man
haitian awaited appropriation to the
island city. Ii only we had the state of
Ontario and the city of Manhattan!
Another capital error was committed
when north and south were introduced
to distinguish the CarOlinas and load
down their names. Roanoke would
have Lean worthy name of a grand
state, and both sentiment and convent
ence would have been greatly favored
by its use. When Virginia was divided
we did escape the inflietien of east. but
west was saddled upon us, and the Op-
pOrtunity to place the good name of
Kanawha' upon our list passed unim-
proved.
Our roll Of states is yet far from COM
plete, and other names wait for place
in our splendid galaxy. 1t is to be hoped
that we may be as fortunate in the
future as in the past, and that we shall
be wise enough to avoid repeating any
of the errors we have made. If Dakota
is to be divided let us have no North
and South or West Dakota. 1t is bad
enough that these two Objectionable adj
iectiveS have once been given place:
the confusion and inconvenience would
be much more than double if the error
were repeated, and we owe it to our
children'S children to save them from
the intiiction. 1t would be all the more
ineXcusable when name so good as
Pembina belongs to the region and
waits for such use. 1t has the max
ing of one of our best names. Gentle
men Of Dakota and congress, will you
look to this?
New Mexico is also unfortunate in the
use of the adjective. This may have
DtCOiilC lOo Well eStdDliSIlGu IOT Change,
but. if possible, it is greatly to be de-
sired that before it comes to the dignity
Of statehood relief should be found in
some good name fer the state in which
the future can find more satisfaction.
How would Aztec do? And Washington
should be changed to Tacoma. So
far, unless Pennsylvania be partial
exception. no personal name in our
own history has been accorded
transcendent distinction of appropria-
ton to state. The wisdom of this
reserve can scarcely be doubted, and
we should hesitate to repeal
an unwritten law which has served us
so well. If Washington, then Lincoln
and Grant, and then whom? The quail
ity of our capital roll of names will suf-
fer if it is brought down to such ques-
tiOns as these, and we shall do well to
abide by the traditions of the past in so
important a matter.
Tacoma, too, is name so excellent
as strongly to invite such adoption.
And why not say Columbia" and
omit the ''District of in our familiar
usage. Tt would be far simpler and
more convenient; and it is not clear
that any good purpose is served by the
use of the awkward combination, in
stead of the simple and good word
which fifty, if not adequately, hOnors