The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-25
More New States
MOI Needed Now
From the Philadelphia Record.

From the Philadelphia Record.
6PHE house committee on territories
has agreed to bring up for con-
SideratiOn on Wednesday next the
bills for the admission Of New
Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma
into the Union as states but the gem
eral understanding among the Republi-
cans appears TO be that the bills are
not 10 be passed at this session of con-
gress. This will be no small dlsappoint-
ment to the politicians in these terri
tories, who have been agltating Tor
number of years for their erection into
states. In Oklahoma the project for
new state includes Indian territory with
the proviso that neither judicial nor leg
islative functions shall be exercised over
the Five Nations until these Indians shall
accept the constitution of Oklahoma un-
der such ordinances as congress may
prescribe 1t is also provided in the
Oklahoma bill that the so-caled Che
rokee Strip shall be included in the
new state.
The rapid growth of Oklahoma in
recent period gives that territory claims
for admission into the Union which are
not shared by New Mexico and Arizona,
with their sparse and unstable popula-
tions. But, in view Of the experience
in making new states, there is no hurry
territorial condition of which Is no OBJ
stacle to its growth and prosperity. The
admission of states like Idaho, Wyoming
and Montana, the respective populations
of which are not greater than the popu-
lation of one of the larger wards of
Philadelphia, has contributed not a little
to subject the majority to the minority
in the United States senate, and thus
to deeply wound the spirit of democratic
institutions. But for "A shOrt-sighted
party policy the admission into the Union
of those states would not have been Sc
riOusly considered. So sad has been the
experience of the Republicans with their
political sDoculatiOn in new states that
| they are inclined to renew the expert
ment, and word has gone out that the
| lusty knocks of Arizona Oklahoma and
| New Mexico for admission to statehood
are not to be needed
| -O---
During President Harrison's adminis-
| tration the six territories of North and
| South Dakota, Montana, Washington,
! Idaho and Wyoming were admitted into
/ the Union as states for the sole purpose
| of oVerthrowing the balance OF political
/ power Dakota was divided into two
! states in order to give the Republicans
! two more senators and four more presi-
dental electors, But in 1892 North Da-
! kota went Demccratic so that the Re
publicans did not gain much by that
! operation, In 1896 North Dakota voted
for Mr., Mckinley, and South Dakota for
| MIR. Bryan, OF the six new states the
/ Republicans lost the four last named in
| 1896. out of the twelve United States
/ senators from these six states not more
/ than six can be classified as regular Re-
| publicans and it is probable that not
one of the twelve can be mustered in
/ favor of the currency policy of McKin-
| ley's administration. But for these new
! states the financial measures proposed
/ by Secretary Gage would not meet with
serious obstruction in the present con-
I gress
With these twelve United States sena-
tors those six states have altogether a
population not much II any greater than
that of Pennsylvania, with its two MEM
bers of the senate II would, therefore,
| be crying political iniquity to increaee