The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-04
WYOMING'S MISTAKE.

The other territories, or five of them,
have concluded their state conventions,
and the delegates returned to their homes
to dream Of new rights and privileges, if
not of Office and Doodle, as the result of
their labors in framing fundamental laws
for their respective commemorative.
Washington, Montana and the two
Dakotas are in the throes of heated political
contests, and with the termination of these
will come the announcement that the four
territories have changed their condition,
having been transformed from the ugly
and repulsive grub of dependency and
serfdom to the beautiful butterfly of state
hood. Idaho will anxiously look upon the
scene and impatiently and vainly await the
Matching of the egg which she has been six
months laying. She will see the others
sail off in a blaze of glory, and will then
settle back to suffer another period of the
colonial system which is so repulsive to
the free-born American.
Now that the other territories have got
ten through with the preliminary work of
getting into the union, our ambitious
II.
Wyoming is holding a state convention.
Her statesmen are gathered at Chey-
enne from the sagebrush plains,
the rocky gorges, the broad stock
ranges and the inexhaustible coal
beds, and in their wisdom are framing a
constitution which it is proposed to present
to Congress, accompanied by a petition for
admission to the family Of states as a free
and independent commonwealth. THE
HERALD entertains none but the kindliest
feelings for Wyoming. This paper is
proud to know that it is one of the
territory's best friends, and we are glad TO
to have substantial evidence that many of
our friends are citizens of the dependency.
We would not for the world DO anything
which could in the least injpre our neigh
Dor, or retard for a moment its progress
towards freedom and independence. 1t is
because of our affection and consideration
for Wyoming that we regret the present
actin, and wish that no steps had been
taken looking to statehood. AGmis-
sion to the union now is not
merely improbable; it is entirely out OF the
question. OF all the territories that have
been admitted and of all those that are still
out, Wyoming is the least prepared to ac-
cept the duty and responsibility of carrying
on state government. She is lacking in
most OF Prerequisites; indeed, she possesses
but one of them-area. Her population
is small-not half enough to entitle
her to a Representative in Congress
under the present apportionment;
many of her people are OF the
lawless class characteristic of the
frontier, as has recently been demonstrated
by the lynching of man and woman by
prominent citizens who have since been ap-
plauded for their deed by considerable
portion of the territorial press and hun
dreds of reputable people. The resources
of the territory are vast but they are unde
veloped, and must remain so until
the society has been cured of
many of its evil tendencies
and capital feels safe in the
The statehood movement
will now expose the weakness of the terri
tory, and by showing how ill-fitted she is
for the responsible duties and condition,
delay admission perhaps for years. The
scheme was badly advised, and we cannot
but think will do more harm than good.