The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-06

be no reason for making states o
them, and thus giving them four sena
tors to boot. To do so would be Civ
ing them disproportionate weight il
the government II their peOpl
were highly educated and every wa,
. discreet and capable. still it would b.
unjust to give 10000 people in thos'
TWO states twice as many senators a
are conceded TO Maryland. an old ant
settled community, with population
i've times as great The diSproportioI
between New York, with 100000 o.
population, and Arizona, with less thar
10000 of population, is still greater
and emphasizes the abSurdity of plac
ing them with unnecessary hurry or
an equality in the senate. Delaware
IT is true, has two senators TO 1I0.00t
OF population, but the fitness of Della
ware for statehood is incomparably
greater than that of Arizona or New
Mexico, and there were in her case
historical reasons for admission TO the
union that do not present themselves
in the case of the two territories now
seeking admission.
People must be weighed Is well as
| counted when it is a question Of Civ
| ing them a voice in the national legisla-
ture. Tried by this test, the people
of Arizona and New Mexico are Who'll
~ wanting in the qualities that fit
| them for governing US, as we'll as them
selves. They are for the most part
of Spanish descent and speak Spanish
language. They are, besides, illit-
crate to a large degree and ignorant.
In 1870 five-sixths of the population OF
New Mexico could not read or write.
What Mr.. Hoar said in 1874, when 1t
was proposed to admit New Mexico
for party reasons, is as true now as it
was then, that when congress is con-
sidering the question whether the peo-
pie of a territory shall be formed into
state Of the union the fact that they
connot perform the duties of American
citizenship by voting intelligently on
public questions, the fact that the
great body of them cannot understand
the laws of the country, cannot read
the discussion of political questions,
cannot obtain information about their
interests from newspapers or magazine
constitutes a strong reason why We
should require such a community to
wait for admission until they are better
prepared Nor is there a prospect
%bo+ A ri1oDa ~, Naxu navino will avar
have large development. Under the
old Spanish land grants three-tenths
of the area of New Mexico are in pri-
vate hands. The 100000 acres re-
naming are of doubtful value. The
water supply of the whole state is in
sufficient for the irrigation Of but 1900
COO acres. The territory is for the most
part a barren waste. Arizona has -
600, 900 acres, of which but 4,245, 500
have been sold.and the water sup
ply will irrigate but 100000 acres
Its outlook is accordingly still worse
than that Of New Mexico. II convert
ed into states, these territories will be
merely additional rotten borOughs to be
ed in behalf of the free coinage of sill
yer or other private interests.
"Our experience with Nevada, which
in 1890, had population of but a, 161
should be a warning to Us. 1t, but di-
lutes the craftsmanship of the senate
which needs strengthening rather
than a further weakening 1t was
brought into the union for a party |
purpose, with evil results to the coun-
try. The same is to be said of Idaho, |
Montana, and Wyoming, which, togeth- |
er, when admitted, had but 27S.249 |
Of population, the three states, with |
Nevada, now cast 8 votes in the SEN
ate for population of about $4,000,
while New York's 100000 cast but /
two votes. The evil is seen in its true
when we reckon in Utah |
with 10000 people. Colorado with
$4,000, Washington with $4,000,
North Dakota with $1,000 and South
Dakota with 32S,0O0. Our small far
western stateS-wholly wanting In ca
Dacity for sharing in the government
IF the union-have eighteen votes in
the senate and degrade 1t to the level
If ward meeting. 1t Is from these
states that the peril of the
silver fallacy now comes, and ii is the
part Of wisdom to put off the admis-
sion Of more such states as long as
possible"
Divested of its superhuous verbage
he spirit of the above insolent and
audacious attack upon the western
states and those applying for admission
nto the union, is that they ought TO be
lenied statehood because they are BIZ
or in other words have the
TO advocate principle
lot laid down in the auriferiouS creed
II the highly cultured nabobs OF the
r breeds arrogance, and the Ameri-
an arfstOcracy Of wealth are Inflated
With it 10 bursting, and realizing that
he storming legions OF free silver are
excessively on the increase, they-the
not scruple at any meas
ire Iney may deem necessary 70 keep
he Industrial classes in perpetual serf- i
ON to their Internal system, even 10
be employment of armed forces II .
hese law protected bandits who are ;
reying upon labor could be successful
u preventing the admission into the :
MON Of free silver states, they could !
ust as consistently insist on the reduc-