Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-04-26
WILL GOOD REsuLTs
Idaho Enterprise.

vorable to statehood, and that much
sion into the union. We are not told
specifically from whence this good
will come, nor how it will accrue, but
are compelled to rest on the general
assertion that beneficial results must
follow. If major part of the people
of Idaho are convinced of this, and
feel that the Territorial form of gov
eminent is inadequate or dlsadvanta-
geous, and that statehood is necessary
to the greatest success of our Terri
| tory, it is not for us to oppose it, but
at the same time the arguments EN-
ployed favoring statehood are not al
together convincing to unbiased
minds.
The only sound argument in favor
of statehood that we have yet heard
advanced, bears directly on the po-
litical disadvantages under which
tho citizens of the Territories labor.
This argumentis OF such nature that
it demands careful consideration. 1t
is tangible and appreciable, can be
| weighed and valued. To be practi-
cal, we ask what are these political
privileges which are denied the poo
Pile of the Territories worth? With
statehood would come the following
privileges: The governor would he
elective. This privilege would cost
hot less than $4,000 per annum. The
Acknowledgements would cost about
$4,000 per annum. -Four district
judges 1--WE would need FOUR ut $4,000
per annum would aggregate $4,000,
attorney, marshal and the present
United States courts might be had
for say, $4,000 per annum, Legis-
latures would only cost about $l0,-
600 per annum. These, together
with sundries amounting to about
$4,000 per annum would enable us
to carry on decent little state gov
eminent. In brief, the cost of ex-
ercising all our privileges as Ameri-
can citizens amounts to about 100000
per annum more than we now have
to pay. Are we able to pay for these
privileges at present? This is the
question to be answered by the peo-
Pile themselves. It's not for news
paper editors to write glowing and
uncertain articles; it is not for windy
politicians to Gil the air with roaring
eloquence. 1t is a question which
every farmer and mechanic in the
Territory should solve for himself.
He should carry it home with him,
and by his own Preside contemplate
and discuss. The question should
be studied in all its bearings. Wher-
ever benefit will result from State
hood the movement should be duly
credited. The facts for and against
should be arrayed in parallel columns
and summed up; which ever side has
the most to It's discradit should be re-
ljected AZ once. Some writers hold
that s50,000,000 or $60,000,0O0 will
inure to Idaho as soon as she becomes
a State. These statements should be
received with some degree of hest
fancy. We have done little figur-
ing on the land question, and it
comes out about this way: There
are, all told, about $4,000 square
miles of land embraced within this
Territory. This includes everything
mountains, lakes, lava beds, deserts
swamps, alkali plains and sand hills
| We calculate that about one third OF
the total area is available for agricul.
tural purposes; that is, may be made
available by expanding few mil.
lions of dollars on irrigating canals
This gives to Idaho about 10000
square miles, or nearly 20,000,00C
acres of land which now is or may be
made valuable. Conceding that the
general government will be unusually
magnanimous and gives us one fourth
of this land besides the amount set
aside for school purposes, Idaho
would start into the Statehood bust
ness with 100000 acres of land
We simply wish to ask what would
likely be the age of to-day's babe
when that land became worth $780,
100000 or s60,000,000? We do not
pretend that our calculations are alb
solutely correct, but we claim for
them one feature which should entitle
them to some consideration. They are
not tinged with extravigance. They
are simple, commonplace statements
that most of us common folks can
. | 20 ne, bo,o 4, .x,,rl