The herald., 1898-09-07
OUR ADMISSION ANNIVERSARY

The admission Of a state to member
shin In our union is an event which de-
serves to be appropriately commence
rated The custom Of celebrating the
anniversary of such an event originated
in California, but the example has not
been followed, except in few Of our
sister states, and the day is nowhere hon
ored as it is here.
That the custom Of celebrating admis-
sion day was not earlier adopted, and
does not generally prevail is surprising
when we consider the great importance
of such an event. Admission to state
hood Is in the nature Of the birth OF
neople into life of local autonomy and
self-government. From that day their
destiny is placed in their own Keeping
and they become chargeable with new
duties and responsibilities, and there
after they are entitled to be credited
with whatever they achieve. Commemo-
ration of such day betokens attachment
to the state, and signifies that the peo-
pie realize that it is duty to exert
themselves to promote its prosperity and
guard it's honor.
Love for ones state does not necessarily
mean hostility to others or indifference
TO the interests of the nation. The
potentiality of a machine depends upon
the strength of each and every part.
The effect of efforts Is proportionate to
the directness with which they are ap-
piled. The primal duty of people is to
build up their own locality, not only In
correspondence to the principle that
"charity begins at home," but on the
additional one that their powers when
exerted at home are more effective than
when applied at arms length. When
people in just and honorable ways pro-
mote local prosperity and strength they
render the greatest service to the nation.
There were some features In the ad-
mission of California which were un-
usual, and make 1t conspicuous case.
Every other new state, before and since,
passed through a period of territorial
tutelage. Organic acts were passed and
the framework set up by the government
at Washington, and the people took les
sons for a series of years in the practice
of government. California had been ac-
quired little more than two years be-
fore admission to statehood. Her
tutelage was under military rule, so to
speak, though to a certain extent the
commandant exercised civil functions.
The great body of the people were new
comers, and from every statel in the
union. In the exercise of original SOW
eregnty they chose convention to frame
constitution, ratified the instrument it
prepared, elected a legislature and state
and county officers, and applied to con-
gress for admission. Members of the
convention and constituencies had barely
gained a residence-indeed large part
of them had not if strict rule had been
applied, for they were here without
their families and without any positive
Intention to remain permanently. 1t may
almost be said that the government was
founded by non-resdents. It was a re-
markable Illustration of the disposition
and capacity of Americans to provide
themselves with government based
upon. popular supremacy
The application for admission was
when the contest over the slavery ques-
tion was active and bitter. A point
contended for was that the equilibrium
should be preserved in the senate be-
tween the north and the south. The
proposition had been put forward and
was strenuously insisted on, that a
S5AsesEay