Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-06
A B,li Tor state Division.

in the bare announcement. Whether it
provides for submitting the question
to vote OF the people OF
this section; or of the whole State,
or not at all, are questions OF
considerable importance, but which
we cannot answer. A measure of so great
concern to the people of the Sixth Con-
gressional District of California ought to
have been carefully matured only after
consultation with the leading citizens OF
our section without regard to their poll
tics. The success or failure OF division de-
pends nearly altogether on the manner in
which the question is approached in its
initial stages and we are disposed to
believe that it would be pre-
mature to take any positive step
in the matter such as General Vandever
| has taken until the census of 1890 has
given us the standing of population that
we admittedly require as a preliminary
to making successful fight for state
hood.
1t would be impossible to secure affirm
ative action from Congress on this ques-
ton without the consent of the Legisla-
ture of California, if we concede that the
action of the Legislature OF 1859 is dead
letter. All the precedents at all analo-
gous 10 our case require this consent.
The census of 1890 will give the southern
counties population more than counter.
balancing that of the northern tier of
counties outside of San nFrancisco. We shall
then be entitled to representation in
the Legislature that will be large enough
to compel the passage of bill enabling
us to set up as a new State. With such
an act we could place the question be-
fore Congress with the irresistible force
of a demand from the State itself
Therefore, if General Vandever's bill is
anything but tentative one, preparing
the way for future legislation, it is prema-
ture, and will do more harm than good.
1t is inconceivable, however, that our
representative has drafted tiil on a
subject of such paramount interest with
out consulting anybody outside of small
Republican cabai IN this city. Yet this
seems to have been the case, and his pre-
cipitate and premature action will be
found, we fear, to be fasco that will
prove stumbling block in the way Of
achieving separation when the time is
ripe for movement.
Those who have given only slight,
superficial thought to this subject must
not suppose that State division has no
friends in California outside of our own
section. There are many far-seeing peo-
pie in the Northern counties who will be
found in favor OF it when the proper time
comes. These sagacious people reason
upon the subject in perfectly rational
way. They know that the Pacific Coast
States exercise much less influence
in Washington than they ought to
on account of the paucity of their
representation in Congress. We have
now only eight Representatives in the
Lower House-Six from California and
one each from Nevada and Oregon
These three States are really the only
ones that can be counted as Pacific Coast
States. By the division of California we
would have two more Senators, and
that would be an acquisition of
the highest importance as affect
ing our influence at Washington.
With the division of the State
we would in all probability be entitled to
two more Representatives, SO that with
out counting the increase of representa-
ton we shall probably have from the
admission of Washington Territory and
perhaps Idaho, Pacific Coast interests
would at once secure from California
alone in its bisected state two Senators
and two Congressman.
But we may safely say that when the
new State of South California is an ac-
complished fact, Washington and possi-
bly, Idaho will have been admitted. The
Pacific Coast would then have twelve
| United States Senators, and thirteen
Representatives in the Lower House
as follows: California, 4 South Cal
ifornia, 4; Oregon, 2; Washington, l !;
Nevada. Il Idaho, 1-13. Thus we would
gressmen to represent us from States
that are entirely homogeneous as far as
| their interests are concerned. Our
strength, however, would not be confined
to these States. New Mexico (Which
will be in the Union by that time) and
Colorado would also act with us upon all
large questions, and if Montana should
also be admitted we would be able 10
count upon her aid. 1t will there
fore be seen that State division OF Cali
fornia is in the line of securing for our
coast that influence in the central coun-
ellis of the nation which is of paramount
importance to us, and for this reason we
shall find some of the ablest and most
far-sighted men in the north in favor of
division when the time is ripe for it's agi-
tation.
| The Democrats have a splendid ma
jority in the new Council, which will take
seats next Monday Our partv has alavap