The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-03
norH rARr1Es TO gLAME.
The Fifty States of the Union.
From the y. Y. sun.

One of the pledges which the Democratic
party made at the late Chicago convention,
its control of the Presidency and of bo:h
branches of Congress will enable it presently,
to keen, and that is the admission of the two
Southwest Territories, New Mexico and Ari-
IONA. to American Statehood. In 1888, at
st. Louis, the Democratic National ConVen-
ton specifically called for the admission of
Washington, Dakota, Montana and New Mex
leo. The Republicans, in their National
Convention in the same year, made more
vague but no less strenuous demand for the
admission of additional Territories as States,
and pledged the Republican party ito do all
in its power to admit New Mexico, Idaho and
Arizona to the enjoyment OF self government
as States
The power to keep this pledge was not
lacking, but the willingness to employ 1t never
appeared. The Republicans had ample power
to admit in 1890 such Territories as they de.
sired, but they drew the line against such as
already were, or seemed likely ever to be, in
the Democratic column and so admitted only
the Republican Territories, making two States
OF Dakota and excluding New Mexico and
Arizona The unfairness ofthis arrangement
is easily understood when their respective
populations are compared; the motive of it is
easily explained when the political control of
each is considered:
Washington-Population, 1890, 349,390
Went Republican in 1888 by 300. Admitted.
South Dakota-Population, 1890, 32S, sos.
Went Republican in 1888 by 10000. Adj
mitted.
North Dakota-Population, 1890; 1872, 729.
Went Republican in 1888 by 5000. Admitted.
Montana - Population, 1890, 1872, l59.
Went Republican in 1888 by 5000. Admitted
L. Don,,lof,Op 81 SSE Mont
Republican in 1888 by LOO. Admitted.
Wyoming 1890, so, 705. Went
Republican in 1888 by 1900. Admitted.
These six new States acquire collectively
twenty electoral votes. But New Mexico,
population l53, 593, which went Democratic
in 1888 by 1,600 votes, was excluded. So
was Arizona, population 1920, which went
Democratic in 1888 by $500.
Idaho and Wyoming, both Republican,
with combined population of 1880, were
made into States with four United States
Senators, two Representatives and six cleo
toral votes and the the political boon Of
home rule administration. New Mexico,
with bigger total population than the two
combined, was excluded from the Union of
States and continued as Territory. 1t was
Democratic and is still.
The fault was not of the present Democra-
tic Congress, which enacted measure to
abate this gross inequality, but it was not
permitted by Republicans to become a law.
The Democratic National Convention in
June last adopted as one plank of its platform
the following:
'sWe approve of the action of the present
House of Representatives in passing bills for
the admission into the Union as States of the
Territories of New Mexico and Arizona, and
we favor the early admission of all Terrific
ries having the necessary population and
resources to admit them to Statehood.
The duty which devolves on the next Dem
ocratic Congress is therefore plain. 1t should
admit without discrimination the Territories
which have the necessary population and
resources, irrespective of political conditions
or party advantage.
The day is fast approaching when the
District of Columbia will be the last of the
Territories, and when the United States will
be union of fifty sovereign commonwealth
covering every inch of American soil between
the waters of the Atlantic and of the Pacific
That day cannot long be postponed and it
certainly should not be delayed by the sloth
of Democratic Congress in dealing with a
question which concerns more nearly the
national domain than it does any small matter
of petty partizan majority. Open the doors
to the Territories entitled to Statehood
Fairness to all and no discrimination.