The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-04
IDAHO AND WYOMING.

THE HERALD's Washington correspond
ent says it is doubtful that the Idaho and
Wyoming admission bills will be passed at
the present session of Congress. He gives
as a reason that some of the eastern Sena-
tors are jealous of the west, and they do
not think it fair or right that the two terri
tories named, with combined population
Of less than 100000, should have the same
representation in the Senate as New York
and Pennsylvania which together have
100000 people. That argument ought
not to be employed in the case of these two
territories, but against the plan upon
which the Senate is made up. The system
is wrong, not the territories. Nevada,
with $1,000 people, has as many Senators
as New York with 6,000, 900. The Senate
itself should be abolished, or reconstructed
on plan that would be representative, Civ
ing the same number of people like repre-
sentation in the chamber, as in the case of
the House. So long as the present system
is continued a territory which has popula-
ton enough to entitle it to Representative
in the House ought not to be kept out of the
union because it has less people than some
other state and would therefore have
greater proportionate power in the Senate.
There are, however, good and valid rea-
sons why both these territories should be
kept in the condition of dependencies yet
little longer. One of these reasons is that
neither has sufficient population to entitle
it to Representative in Congress.
The present apportionment allows one
Congressman for ZOO people, but
neither Idaho nor Wyoming has
100000. The latter has not $1,000, and we
doubt that the census enumerators will be
able TO scra2e up $4,000 persons in the
former. These figures of themselves
should be sufficient to hold the territories
out for time in a spirit of justice to the
people of the country generally: but the
dependencies should be restrained in mercy
to their own people. We believe that
statehood now would be disastrous to both
Idaho and Wyoming. The people, already
taxed until they cry out against the extor
ton, would be discouraged, If not abso-
lutely ruined, if the burden of maintaining
state government were put upon them.
Those statehood schemers and advocates
who assert that taxes would not be mate
rally increased are either ignorant Or they
willfully misrepresent If they do not know
better, it is almost criminal for them to re
fuse to inform themselves. The federal
government pays most of the expenses of
the territorial administration. 1t pays the
salaries of the governor, the secretary, the
Judges, the marshal, the per diem and mile
age of the members of the legislature, the
costs of the sessions, and various other ex-
penses, all of which are borne by state
The costs of their county and town gov
ernments are all that are paid by the peo-
pie of the territory. The United States
does this to help the dependencies until
they are financially able to provide for
themselves. If the general government were
not thus generous, wild and chaotic con-
dition of things would prevail during the
early days of territory. The people could
not maintain government that would
furnish protection for life or property
lawlessness would prevail and poverty
would be the rule for good people would
not and could not exist in such place. .
We do not say that Idaho and Wyoming
could not support local governments tina,
property safe, but we assert that to keer
up such governments would put upon the
property-owners a tax that would dis
courage them, would induce many to leave
and would brighten intending settlers away
We say it would be an imposition upon the
courageous, ambitions and enterprisine
commonwealth to impose statehood upon
them with its great burden OF
financial responsibility. 1t was 6
sad blow to the prosperity
and development of North Dakota wher
that territory was erected into state 81
ill-prepared for the new condition of things
were the people and so unequal to the ex
traordinary burdens were they that the
first year Of statehood has caused some Of
the newspapers up there to ask if il
would not have been better had admission
been delayed few years. The state
officials cannot get their salaries, for there
is no money in the treasury; the taxes arr
so high that people cannot pay them with
cut selling their property, and there are n,
buyers, for men do not rash into country
where mere than the profits from theil
investments and labor are required by tn,
government in the form of taxes.
Things would not be quite so bad q,
this in Idaho and Wyoming, but the,
would be worse than should b,
put upon a community to gratify
the ambition of few politicians. In thre,
or four years, under the fostering care
financially, Of the general government botl
these territories will be in splendid condi
ton for going into the union as free an,
sovereign states. They are progressin.
rapidly, the population increasing and ma
terial development going On at satisfac
tory rate. AT the present rate OF advanc
and development both can don statehoo,
without fear or trembling, conscious o
their ability to move forward under tn
new load without staggering.
THE HERALD is opposed To the territoria
system. We have always thought It wa
wrong in theory aud worse in practice. /
denies citizenship to the most progressive
and most loyal people in the republic
and imposes hardships upon communi
ties which would not be tolerate
outside Of Russia. At the same time, ba
and unrepublican as are these governments
they impose lighter burdens upon youn,
and struggling community than doe
<,od O,v l-,oxr,Jadro of Tlah, 60.