The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-03-07
WYOMING AND IDAHO.

sovereign STATES. SONG Time ago III was
said that the gentleman would oppose the
admission of the territories named on
political grounds; that as they were Re-
publican in politics and would materially
aid that party in Congress and in the cleo
toral college, he would object to their ele-
ration to statehood unless New Mexico and
Arizona, Democratic territories, were
admitted at the same time. 1t is unde-
niably true that party politics is
back of the movement for the ad
mission of Idaho and Wyoming.
The Republicans need more votes. If the
territories named were Democratic there
would be no better chance for them 20 get
Into the union than there is for New
Mexico, which has double the wealth and
twice the population of the other two com
pined. The unfairness of the scheme is
apparent to everybody, even Republicans
themselves admitting that as matter of
right the two Democratic territories are as
well entitled to statehood as are the Repub-
ican dependencies. A wrong by Repub-
ican, however, will not justify or make
right similar wrong by Democrat;
therefore we expressed the hope that Mr..
SPRINGER would not oppose the admission of
pur northern and northeastern neighbors,
unless he could do SO on other than partisan
grounds, and also that he would not attempt
TO make their admission contingent on the
letting in of the two Democratic territories
The gentleman has declared himself OPP
posed to the letting in of Idaho and Wyo-
ming, and in doing so has ignored partisan
politics. His objection to Wyoming is that
the constitution guarantees suffrage to
women, to which Mr.. SPRINGER is opposed
We are heartily glad that the distinguished
Democratic statesman can find nothing else
upon which to base an objection to state
hood for Wyoming, for his failure to
find other cause for opposition is,
to our mind, a strong argument in favor of
letting the territory into the union and
granting her people tn rights of full citi-
renship. Woman suffrage has been thor
oughly tried in Wyoming; it long since
passed beyond the experimental stage, and
The world has had fair opportunity to
pass intelligent judgment upon what has
elsewhere been problem THE HER
AID thinks it knows whereof it speaks
when it says that woman suffrage in Wyo-
ming has been neither gratifying success
nor adisgraceful failure. Such effect as it has
had in the community has been good, but
.he effect has been slight and is growing
less and less every year. The
ruth is, the novelty having worn
DIFF the women, as class, are not half as
much interested in the ballot as they were
before they were allowed to ''enioy'' it.
The great majority of the Wyoming women
10 not go to the polls or take part in cleo
tons, except at times when there are local
contests involving questions with which
the immediate neighborhood is concerned.
On these occasions the women may be
pretty generally relied upon to cast their
ballots and influence on the side of right,
party politics being something that does
not trouble them. 1t may, therefore, be
said that woman suffrage cuts no figure in
the politics of the community and should
have no influence on the question of state
hood. The territory being qualified in other
respects fer the new dignities and respon-
sibilities they should De conferred, though
individuals may be opposed to the principle
of woman suffrage.
AS to Idaho, Mr.. SPRINGER presents a
more valid objection. There the state pro-
poses to go into the union with constitu-
ton which DISTINGUISHES and forever de-
MES the right of citizenship to fully one
third of the entire population; the dis.
reimbursement and denial are made to run
against people not because the latter have
violated any law, not because they have
spoken word against the government OF
been guilty of any act which would sug
gesu that they were bad citizens OF
unworthy members of society, but fol
the reason that they are members Of
religious organization which happens tc
be Objectionable to other religions societies
and to the politicians of the territory. Il
the disfranchisement were imposed as pen
atty for wrong doing, if it We're inflicted
Us punishment for evil deeds or violation
of statute law, the objection to the measure
would disappear, but as the imposition i:
arbitrary, without even an inquiry, and i.
imposed as punishment for no crime. Mr.
SPRINGER, as statesman, does well to op-
pose the admission of Idaho with the un
:, American provision in her constitution. We
do not believe Congress can afford to create
state with such fundamental law II
would form a precedent which would
threaten the republic itself for if state
can have constitution proclaiming agains
areligious CT any other organization, ant
making non criminal belief an offense pun
ishable by deprivation of citizenship, the
nation can with equal propriety declare an
other church criminal organization, ant
make membership in it cause for llisfran
rhisement. 1t would be an easy matter t.
pass from the Acknowledgement of Nor
mons in Idaho to the Acknowledgement O.
Catholics in the United States, and from
that to the filming and Imprisonment o.
Shakers whose doctrines are an oifense t.
other religionists.
1t may be doubted that SPRINGER ant
those for whom he speaks will succeed il
defeating the admission of Idaho with it.
ugly constitution. The Republican ma
jority in Congress have set out to manage
things in the interest of their party, ant
they are not likely to be influenced by the
claims OF right and justice. Representa-
tive SPRINGER and associates, however
viii do well and be consistent, to, go upoz