Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-10-25
STATEHOOD FOR IDAHO.
The People Nay Not AdOpt the
CONSTITUTIONS 4UiHerdI
Wealth of the Ter
3itOrN.


territory. is in the city. In
regard to the status OF the
movement for statehood in Ida
no, Mr.. Parker said: "The
movement has its friends and
its enemies. was o delegate
from Idaho county in the con-
stitutional convention, and
had as much to say as the next
man in the framing Of the con-
stitution which is to be sub
mitted to the people for adop-
ton next November, and since
the convention adjourned |
have travelled far and wide
over the length and breadth
of the territory, and my ex-
perience, reluctantly arrived
at, is that the people of the
territory will not latify the
constitution.
"The objections are not bas-
ed on opposition to statehood,
particularly. They have their
origin in certain clauses of the
constitution which were Bit
terly opposed in the conven-
ton, and which, in my cstima-
tion, were adopted by the con-
wention in defiance of common
sense and every fundamental
principle of self-government.
eIdaho is wholly capable of
maintaining a state govern
ment. The population of the
territory cannot be less than
l25, 900, and the valuation of
property throughout the terri
tory cannot be less than $780,
100000, and then the assess
ment will fall very far below
the actual value of the proper
ty. A glance at any newspa-
per published in the territory
will suffice to show that the
public lands are being absorb
ed at a wonderful rate, and
when we remember that every
quarter section of land being
proved up on implies an in
crease of population, there
ought to be no doubt that Ida
no is as capable of maintain
ing a state government as any
of the other territories which
are seeking admission to the
Union as states. 1t is safe to
say that the. valuation of real
estate Is greater in Idaho than
it is in Montana. where the ag-
gregate wealth is confined to
personal property. In fact, the
population and taxable prop
erty of Idaho can never be
less than it is to-day, because
the bulk of our possessions are
real estate, and our accumula-
tions are increasing all the
time.
"In Southern Idaho the
mines Of Mineral district have
developed to such a degree
and their permanency so well
established that the camp has
a notoriety in mining
circles as the ne p1us ultra of
investors. The veins
are large and the ore is very
easily extracted and easily
" orked. The camp is ten
years old, but all the real de-
velopment work has been done
in the last twelve months.
There are fifty mines in the
camp with six to ten feet of
ore in sight. and others show
ing less development, with
equal possibilities are only
waiting an opportunity to
place the properties on pay
ing basis.
Further to the northward
are the wonderful copper
mines of the Seven Devils re-
gion, mines that in any other
would be world-fa-
nous, but such is the Won
drous mineral wealth of Idaho |
that even these wonderful de-
posts of almost pure copper
are permitted to languish and
lay idle for want of transporta-
lion facilities to make them
valuable. The mines Of the
Little Salmon, Rapid river,
N,,uo., Co1,soo, ~;.a,, .,l Al