Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-14
NEvADA,s DECAY.

NEvADA's DECAY.
While the people Of Montana, the Da-
kotas and Washington are looking for
ward to the approaching admission Of
their territories to the union Of states
those Of the state Of Nevada are trying
to devise q plan Tor the preservation of
their dying commonwealth by annexing
1t to some state or territory that has life
and promise Of growth. The recent Mt
terances of Nevada newspapers concern
ing this subject are interesting. Says
the Eureka Sentinel:
Nevada lie poor and steadily growing
worse year by year. Our population is too
small to maintain astategovernment. The
meagerness Of our numbers is a constant
reproach to us from the other states OF the
Union. Frankly put, Nevada is not q
state OF which her people may justly boast
or feel proud. We know all the good that
has proceeded from these mountains and
plains. It is not in order to discuss these
past achievements. We prefer to deal with
the present and look to the future. From
either OF these standpoints it is important
that something be done, and that quickly.
We want no part OF Idaho territory. Idaho
would bring nothing permanent. She is no
better than Nevada. and has no better
future. We want territory capable of sup
porting q large and permanent agricultural
community. This is to be found in Utah.
Salt Lake valley is al empire. Nevada
and Utah combined would make q great
and prosperous state. The political ques-
tions are unimportant. With Nevada's
Gentle population added, there would be
no fear of church domination in the en-
larged commonwealth. Besides, Utah
would thus get statehood, al we'll as a set
Element Of the Mormon question. The
Utah press should join in demanding at
the hands of Congress annexation to
Nevada.
The Winnemucca "Silver State" is of
the same opinion. 1t points out that the
annexation of Nevada to California would
deprive the Pacific coast of two Senators,
and adds:
By annexing Utah. which has no hope of
being admitted as a state, while the Nor
mons control it, the coast representation
in the Senate would not be reduced, while
it would be increased by at least one vote
in the House OF Representatives. 1t is non
sensical for the $4,000 inhabitants OF Ne
vada to attempt longer to maintain an OK.
pensive state government, and the farce
must close within a few years unless the
power of the legislature to borrow money
for state purposes from the school fund ia
extended by constitutional amendment.
But the Mormons Of Utah are unwill-
ing to gain the advantages of statehood
by the proposed annexation. The Salt
Lake Herald" which is the chief organ
Of the Mormon church and the leading
journal of Utah, responds to the sugges-
lions of the Nevada papers as follows:
After being imposed upon and oppressed
in various ways for forty years, it is ex-
pected that the government will have the
heart to further affiict Utah by saddling
upon it the dying and pauper state on the
west? We feel sorry for Nevada. It is
matter for regret that she is so rapily going
to her grave. but we know OF no rule of
equity or charity which would suggest that
Utah should be weighed down in order that
Tho ynftop horonob mn avoid Joo+L n4oL
may be eager for statehood, but we believe
we express the honest opinion of nine men
out of ten when we say that, ugly and OBJ
iectionable as a territorial government is,
it is preferable to a state on the conditions
suggested. We can get along as a territory
much better than as a state with barren
and corrupt Nevada as a part of that state.
The distracted people of Nevada should
look in another direction for relief ard sal
walton. As California owns them, and also
whatever is OF value in the state, why
not 60 to California for succor and ask to
be attached to the great commonwealth
that is able to take care OF them?
The answer to this question is that the
powers that rule Nevada would not con-
sent to give up two seats in the Senate,
and California does not desire to enlarge
her domain. The returns of Nevada's
vote show how small a population sufices
TO fill those seats and also mark the decay
Of the commonwealth. In 1876 there
cast 1851 votes; in 1880 the num-
Der was 1S,343; in 1884 it fell to 12,771,
and at the last national election it was
,nly 1855. The population has fallen
62,266 in 1880 to a little more than
10000 at present. The total valuation
If the taxable property of the state is
low only $35, $4,000.
Fortunately there is no probability
hat any one of the new states soon to
70 admitted will ever suffer such a de-
as has marked the melancholy his
Ory of Nevada. Each of them can
a large population. Their in
are permanent and thriving,
nd will surely grow from year to year.