New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-05
TIE Union AS TT WILL BE,

Not many realize perhaps, that the circle OF
States is nearing completion. At their pres
emit rate Of progress it cannot be many years
before all of the Western Territories will bo
graduated into States and the Union that be-
gan century ago as a narrow strip along the
Atlantic Will have grown into gigantic en-
pire of self-governing Commonwealth stretch
ing from ocean to ocean. The admission Of
the two Dakotas, Montana and Washington
cannot be delayed more than few months.
This measure will erect into States the whole
of the vast territory forming our northern
boundary from the western line Of Minnesota
TO the Pacific Ocean, with the exception of the
narrow strip of Idaho which runs up between
Montana and Washington and touches the
border of British Columbia Leaving out Of
consideration the Indian Territory, whose posi-
tion is anomalous and whose future relations
to the Union involve the whole question of
Indian citizenship, there will remain after the
admission Of the Dakotas Montana and Wash
ington, only five Territories awaiting promo
ton.
OF these two, Utah and New-MeXico, have
already more than the population recognized
as the unit of representation. Utah will never
he admitted so long as it continues to be a
Mormon province, but the day when the au-
thority of the United States will be supreme
there will be fastened both by immigration
and by internal changes. New Mexico is re-
ceiving large acceSSiOns of intelligent and en-
terpndng Americans, and its admission also
is only a question of time. 1t has been pro-
posed that Arizona, which was part Of New
Mexico when it was organized as Territory
in 1880, and cut off from it thirteen years
later should be reunited TO it, and that the
two should be admitted as one State on the
ground that they are much alike in physical
pecuarities and in character Of population.
But the present tendency is to divide Terri
| tories rather than to unite them, and II may
be taken for granted that when these two
Territories are admitted to the Union it will
| be as two Ste eS. Idaho stands next TO Mon
| tana in order g. po ulation as estimated in the
| latest reports, Montana having 1000 which
has probably increased since the estimate was
made, and Idaho 100, 900; Wyoming comes
next with 5000, and Arizona, by a census
taken more than six years ago, was shown TO
have $4,000 which has doubtless considerably
increased since that time. There has been talk
of dividing Idaho into two States North and
South, but there seems now to be no probability
of this.
The admission Of the four new Northwestern
States will undoubtedly greatly stimulate i'm
migration, not only there but to the remaining
Territories, and it is likely that before 1890
all of them will have been received into the
Union. If we indulge our fancy sufficiently
to suppose that by that time the Indians will
have been made citizens, and the Indian Terri
tory will have been erected into State, the
Union will consist Of fOrty-eight States, there
will be fory-eight stars on the flag where
there are thirty-eight, and the membership Of
| the Senate will be ninety-siX instead Of seven
| ty-Six as now making it still one Of the small
est of the important legislative bodies of the
world. When this process has been completed
there will be literally no more States to adopt
unless our neighbOrs across the Canada border
conclude to come in and make one circle of
the great English-speaking family in America.
All of the States yet to come in are Of vast
size The smallest is an empire beside which
the Empire State seems almost puny. Yet the
populations are not large enough to admit Of
division now except in the case Of Dakota.
and the anxiety felt in all to gain admission
will effectualy prevent the growth of any
sentiment in favor Of division. Once in tho
Union, experience shows that division, except
under phenomenal circumstances, like those Of
the two Virgnias, seems an impoSsbiIity. The
people Of Texas have the right to demand
under their organic law its division into sever
al States, thus multiplying their present power
in the Senate. But the very suggestion of
such an idea only few months ago was e-
ceiyed by the press with universal rdicule.
The same proposition has been made concern
ing California, only to be secuted. 1t has often
been proposed that NewYork City and the
surrounding territory should be set off as one
State. and the remainder Of the State as an
other. but we venture to say that it would be
as easy to divide London from England as to
induce the people of NewYork to sacrifice
their lust pride in this great Commonwealth.