The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-18
ADMISSION OF NEW STATES.

A great many OF the Eastern newspapers
have devoted considerable attention since
the election 20 warning congress against
the admission OF any more territories as
states OF the Union. They insist nat the
TIRES remaining territories. Arizona, New
Mexico and Oklahoma should remain in a
condition OF territorial vasSalage for some
years to come. because they are untitled
for statehood" The same newspapers COM
plain bitterly that several OF the states adj
rnited recently to statehood have not the
population to justify their rank as sover-
eign states, and even express regret that
there are no provisions of the Federal con-
stitution oN which the right of statehood
can not be taken away after 1t is once
vested.
IF these newspapers based their objec-
tons 10 the admission OF new states upon
the real reason which calls forth these OBJ
jcctions-which is that they fear that the
control of the senate viii be absolutely in
the hands of the smaller states. IL more are
admitted, their position would be logical,
but 10 assert THAI the states which have
been admitted or tho territories which de-
sire TO be admitted are not fitted for state
hood is rank nonsense. In population and
in wealth, the territories OF Oklahoma and
New Mexico are ahead of what was the
condition in these respects of eight out OF
the seventeen states which comprised the
Union at the time the first census was
taken. Neither Delaware. Georgia, Ken
lucky. Maine. New Hampshire. Rhode ISL
and. Tennessee nor Vermont had in 1880 a
population In excess of l52.0ao people. II
that number of people were competent 10
carry on a local state government in 1870,
an equal number OF their descendants are
certainly as competent TO do likewise to-
day.
There is altogether too much of this kind
of talk. and In many cases these Eastern
critics lose sight altogether of existing
conditions. They speak OF the Pacific
coast states and territories as though they
were composed of few isolated communi-
ties just emerging from barbarism. The
Pacific coast states and territories contain
two-thirds as many people as there were
within the whole limits or the United States
at the time the first census was taken; and
have FAR more wealth. d greater number Of
MANUFACTURES. more churches and schools
and a far greater internal and foreign
commerce than the whole United States
had a hundred years ago. Only two states
OF the original thirteen had. at the time
OF the first census. as great a population
as has Washington today. and New York
was not one OF the number. The city OF
Seattle has a greater population than New
York city had at the commencement of the
present century. and San Francisco has
greater population than New York had
in 1875.
1t can hardly be urged that the people Of
tho present day are less intelligent. less
competent 70 govern themselves than were
the people CT a century ago. and any argu-
ment against the admission OF new states
which is based o. the assumption that the
remaining territories are not competent 20
assume the Obligations and rights OF state
hood Is absurd.
The argument that under our system of
government states with small population
are given too great a representation in she
upper house may be good one IL applied
to a movement toward amending the con-
sgliugion in the interests of the more dense
~ populated states: bat Il is not sufficient
TO warrants the continned Acknowledgement
OF commodities as strong as many OF those
which comprised the original federation Of
states. The territorial form Of government
is an anomaly: there IS no strict warrant
Tor Il IN the constitution; It IS repuguant
10 he very principles upon which cur gov
eminent Is founded. j, was adopted as
mere temporary expedi-nj. The last YES
tlgs % il should be swept away as soon as
this can BE done.
There may be reasons which appeal "a
the partisan politician why the territories
should ba kept our; bat certainly tAs very
genius II our constitution requires that
every territory should be given full local
seIs-woverumeat ana admitted INTO the
Union as soon as it has population suf'i-
cient 10 support a state government repub-
lean Ia form.
FUSION GOING TO PIECES.