The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-09-07
THE STATEHOOD QUESTION.

IdG D AGaVVO 0V00A AVN.
The lest issue of the Salmon City
Recorder says:
The Leader, Idaho News and Ketchunl
KEYSTONE are all strongly opposed to
Statehood and are using their utmost en-.
deavor to influence the minds of the peo
pie against Statehood, urging as their
great reason the extra expense which will
be required to run State government.
The KEYSTONE has invariably
taken grounds against the admis-
sion OF Idaho as State at present,
solely from the fact that the terri
tory does not possess the necessary
requisites TO enable it to assume the
varied responsibilities and expenses
incidental to the running Of the ma
chinery of a State government.
Every candid man must admit
that the expenses of maintaining a
Slate government will far exceed
those of the territorial form under
which we are now living. The idea
that Statehood will be such a great
SAVING to the taxpayers is all balder-
dasa, founded upon fictitious valu-
atluns and visionary expectations.
Adopting the constitution framed
by the late convention is one thing,
and the burden which the adoption
of any constitution will place upon
the shoulders of the people by the
additional levy of taxes necessary
to support such luxury is another
thing. 1t is folly to think that all
that is necessary is to adopt the
constitution, urge the admission of
Idaho into the Union, and then
like magic-thritt and prosperity
will visit every threshold through
out the length and breadth of our
territory, an unusual immigration
will flock to our land, capital will
come to our aid in promoting our
mining industries and the glowing
pictures of the advantages of State
hood, as set forth in the "address
to the people Of Idaho," be more
than realized.
The KEYSTONE respectfully urges
its readers to carefully consider the
question, which they will soon be
called upon to decide, whether they
prefer to remain subject to a form
of government under which they
are surely, if slowly, prospecting, or
will they use their power in advo.
eating move that will inevitably
involve oppressive taxation, and
also further the schemes of ambi-
tious politicians and office-seekers.
The Blackfoot News in referring
to the subject of Statehood makes
some very pertinent remarks in re-
gard to school lands. 1t says:
The address Of the constitutional con-
vention Ito the people OF Idaho" says:
The school lands which WILL belong to
the new State of Idaho will consist Of
sections 6 and 36 of every township and
100000 acres granted under 2,378 Of the
Revised Statutes of the United States. all
to s,340,O00 acres, and at $40 per acre
are valued at $33,340,00O. We were of
the opinion that sections 16 and SO were
already school lanns and belonged to the
Territory, Statehood or no Statehood, but
did not know they were all SO valuable
as to be worth $40 per acre.
Our constitution trainers we're a little
OF their base Of calculations when they
made provision in the constitution that
10000 acres of school lands shall! lie sold
annually at auction and at not less than
$40 per acre. You can lead q horse to
water but you cannot make him drink.
You may offer $4,000 acres of land for
sale tut you cannot make men buy them
at $40 per acre. And more, this is to he
done for ten years, and it is claimed that
this will put 81, 100000 into the treasury
Now, if constitution making was not n
serious thing, We would put down our
pen and laugh. This part of it is too
funny for anything.
We agree also with the Malad
Enterprise in fearing that the COM
mittee has overlooked the sun
dries" The editor of the Enterprise
tells a very suggestive little story
Of his own experience in figuring.
We recommend it to our readers
careful perusal, and copy for their
benefit:
In their address to the people of Idaho,
the constitutional reasons committee
figures that the admission of Idaho will
result in saving to the taxpayers of
$55,29O per annum. This reminds US of
little personal experience we once had
III the sawmill business. We figured it
out on paper, and the result was extreme
iy gratifying. On our paper, we were ac-
cumulating wealth 1t the rate of $3Y 81
per Gay; but when we come to gather IN
the crop Of iucre there was painful de-
hclt. In our calculations we had over
looked sundry expense items which in
the aggregate amounted to an even $36
tor every time the sun sunk in the west
ern horizon, consequently our name is
omitted from the list of bioated CAPITAL
lists. We hope the committee has not
overlooked the sundries.
An Extraordinary Mule.