The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-16
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES.


It comes from Washington that the bills
for the admission to the Union of New
Mexico and Arizona will be reported favor
ably by the House committee on territories,
and there is good reason to believe that
both will be passed by Congress and ap
proved by the President. Neither is to be
admitted until after the coming Presi-
dental election, so that taking them into
the Union will have no political influence in
national affairs until the next Presidential
contest four years hence
The people of Utah are neither jealous nor
envious of its neighbors. We all rejoiced
when Idaho and Wyoming were made states.
and the emancipation of New Mexico and
Arizona will be hailed with pleasure from
one end of this territory to the other At
the same time we cannot but consider the
Inconsistency of granting statehood to the
surrounding dependencies and denying the
political enlargement to Utah. The two
territories, which are so soon to be made
free and independent, are fully entitled to
what they ask and what will be given.
They are abundantly able to take care
In need of the fostering care and financial
assistance Of the general government.
Their citizens are enterprising, progressive
and proud, and they can manage their own
affairs, pay their own bills and maintain
order within their respective boundaries
Arizona, at the census in 1890, had a popu-
lation OF $780, which has probably in
creased by this time to $4,000. She had a
territorial debt less the sinking fund, of
SI57, l5S. and county debt, lesss the sinking
fund. amounting to $4,000, 094, or a total
OF 81, 763, 252, equal to S46.35 per capita. 1t
seems Ike pretty heavy load, yet the peo-
pie do not grumble: they are willing to
carry it, and for the sake of political free
dom are ready to shoulder additional bur
dens. In 1890 New Mexico had popula-
ton of 1873. 593, which is not much larger
to-day, as there has not been great influx
of people into the territory. Her terri
torial debt, less the sinking fund, was
somewhat larger than Arizona's, being
SS70,96 whilst the county Indebtedness
aggregated 81, SIS, 0S3-a total of S2,6S6,044,
or S17.49 per capita. The majority of the
people of New Mexico are not so progress
i've and enterprising as those of Arizona,
but they know what American citizenship
means, and fo- it they are ready and will
ing to pay, Notwithstanding the financial
obligations now resting upon them.
Now let US look at Utah for moment,
from the standpoint of the same
census table from which we have
quoted the above figures. In 1890
the total recorded county and territorial in
debtedness less the sinking fund amounted
to $40, $50, or "a cents per capita of the 207,-
9O5 population. The per capita indebted
ness was less than any other state or terri
tory in the republic, the average of the
whole being 1888 against our "A cents. Our
population has increased more rapidly than
that of either of the other territories men
toned, and we don't believe there is man
in Congress who viii say that the people Of
Utah will not compare fa7orably in all
praiseworthy respects with those of Ari-
IONA or New Mexico. There is less law
lessness in Utah than in any state or terri
tory west of the Mississippi; there is less
litigation in proportion to population; there
is less crime; there is more general
peace, and there is more real solid pros
perity; there is more wealth per capita,
and it costs less per capita to run the gov
ernment,.
We say that Arizona and New Mexico
are entitled to statehood and are able to 90
alone, paying their own expenses. We
will say nothing about Utah in this connec-
ton beyond the figures above given and
the further fact that this territory has
more people to-day than Arizona and New
Mexico combined, has more developed
wealth than both of them, and infinitely
greater undeveloped resources. is compare
lively without debt, and her people, taken
as a whole, possess more of the virtues and
are afflicted with fewer of the vices than
any other people in the world
We hope Arizona and New Mexico will
be admitted TO the Union at this session Of
Congress.