The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-10
0MIN0US.

There is an ominous omission in the
PRESIDENTS message. 1t will be recalled
mat IN previous message he took strong
ground In favor Of The admission OF the ter
rltorles, and in his swiuging-round-the-cir
Gle speeches last spring he seemed never to
tire when boasting of the fact that six of
the dependencies had been erected into
states during his administration. In the
abstract 1t Is something to be proud of, and
little manifestation of pride on the part Of
tne President ought not to be regarded as
out of place. When we reflect, however,
on the manner in which those territories
were admitted to the union and on why
tney were made states we are less disposed
10 give the President credit for laudable
motives in what he did. Rather are he
and his party deserving of censure
justice and right bad not the
least influence in directing their action.
Ihey cared nothing for the people. Par
tlsan politics alone controlled them. They
uld not even take into account the ability
OF Inc communities to maintain state gov
ernments. Would the new states return
Republican Senators! Would they choose
Republican Presidential electorsl These
were the questions which HARRISON and
Ills party asked, and getting Affirmative
answers from six of the territories the half
dozen were rushed into the union. Whereas
the two which gave negative replies were
kept out, although the latter were in every
respect better qualified for the duties and
responsibilities of statehood than were some
! OF those which were admitted. The parti
san nature Of the business was flagrantiv
emphasized in tho cases of Idaho and
wyoming. The former was Demo
cratic SO far as the popular vote
was concerned, and would, therefore.
choose Senators and Presidential electors
OF that political faith. That obstacle must
be overcome, and this was how it was done:
one-third OF the population, chiefly Demo
Gratis, were DISTINGUISHED, thus leaving
tne Presidents party largely in the major
! ity. Inc excuse for this was that the dis
franchised were Mormons and could not
safely be entrusted with citizenship. This
plea, himsy and ludicrous as it was, might
nave passed with some degree Of success if
IL mad been employed further; but when
the party came TO cross the line into Wy
oming 1t found that the Mormons were
largely in the habit of voting the Repub
lican ticket, and to disfranchiss them
there would be to make the state
Democratic Tue proposition to deny the
ballot to Mormons in Wyoming was
as abhorrent to HARRISON and his party as
II had been to permit them TO enjoy the
privilege of suffrage in Idaho.
Thus Is seen the holloWness of the Presi-
dents boast regarding the admission of
the territories.
Now it is noted that HARRISON has moth
ing to say about letting the territories in.
Notwithstanding his deep solicitude two
years ago. Two of the dependencies ara
veil prepared for taking on the new and
and more important conditions and re-
( sponsibilities, and 1t is known that thew
Will at once apply for admission to the
/ union; but they are Dem ocratio. hence
HARRISON has no use for them and ssvs
nothing. We sey this omission is ominous.
1t portends opposition on the part of the
President and his party to the admission
OF Arizona and New Mexico. If the on
position shall be asserted our ambitions
neighbors will be held back couple of
years, until Democratic administration
can let them in.