The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-29


ton must follow another. Let Us not give
the prinlary-school classes all the power
In this light it appears that too many
small sattes are already grouped together
now for the good of the country, and
these four territories should not il reason
resist the proposal that they be CONSOLE
dated into two. There is such thing as
a nations being unjust by too great liber-
atty as well as by too little. The state
hood obligation never should call on the
American people TO surrender power TO
one-fourth of the total population.
1T is no exaggeration 10 say that
combination of issues might be arranged
which would give q majority Of the senate
10 less than one-fourth of the population.
were these territories admitted. This is
the present; what is the future? No one
cant travel over the arid belt without re-
alizing that its ratios Of density of popu-
lation to the whole country are likely TO
stand about the same for the next hun
dred years. Even irrigation, which. with
two or three hundred million dollars Of
expenditure, may invite a considerable
population into the arid belt, viii still
make available only a fractional part Of
the far western country. The increase in
population OF New York state alone be-
tween 1899 and 1900 was greater than that
OF all Of the country west Of the one hun
dredth meridian; it would not be extraor-
binary If such state as Wisconsin should
hold to Arizona. a century hence, not far
from its present ratio of population. Arr
IONA Will grow. but SO will Wisconsin
The Mississippi valley. which is the seat
of our great empire. is still new country,
and Of tremendous resources.
That the three territories of the south
west, which are now asking admission.
would favor the Democratic party more
than the Republican seems on both sides
to be agreed. The readiness of the Dem
ocrats to vote to admit them is sugges-
tive evidence on one side. Arizona is SOL
idly Democratic; it gave the Democratic
candidate TO congress in 1896 when the
Bryan cause was low. S,6s4 votes against
1864 for the Republican candidate. New
Mexico and Oklahoma are just now Re
publicanh but by small majorities, and
with no indications that they will stay So
Since in any territory statehood is the
paramount issue. 1t is probable that these
to see that the Republicans were destined
to be in the saddle, and so thought it pol
icy TO send Republicans down to WASH
ington 10 make the best impression in ia
vor of what they most desired; were the
Democrats to come into power here, it is
safe to say that the same impulse would
be sufficient to elect Democratic dele
gates But this IS not the real question
for the American people TO consider.
States have rarely been governed in their
political activities by gratitude for thu
party that admitted them to the union;
it is fortunate that they are not. Such
gratitude belong TO the dead past. West
Virginia, which was admitted by the Re
publicans during the stress of the civil
war, proceeded to become Democratic
about as soon as the war was over, and TO
be represented in the senate and house by
confederate veterans. only recently has
it gone back into the Republican column,
and on issues wholly apart from those
over which the war was fought.
Nevada which was admitted only few
days before the presidential election Of
1864, has been a leader in the frt e-silver
cause, and so has. for much of the time
of late years contributed two anti-Re-
publican senator's. A Democratic house
in 1876 had a good deal to do with the ad-
mission of the Democratic territory of
Colorado, whose three votes were desired
for the Democratic presidential candidate;
it turned out that these were given 70
Hayes and without them his election
would seemingly have been Impossible.
OF the six territories admitted TO the un-
ion during the Harrison administration.
five cast their electoral votes IN 1886 for
Bryan against Mckinley and four years
before, in their first presidential ballot.
they were badly cut up by Populistic and
Democratic combinations. The lesson OF
this is that no party can count on much
advantage from gratitude for being adj
mitted TO the union. Neither does the
party record Of territories when clamoring
for admission signify much as to their
future. since the population is small and
50 new that it has not yet found bearings
or become acquainted with it's peculiar re-
lations to national issues. The great reas-
on for supposing that Arizona, New Mex
leo and Oklahoma VIII be Democratic is
found in the place they occupy or the
map OF the United Etates; they are in
Democratic territory.
1T seems strange that when Cubs and
commercial partnerships take such pains
10 regulate the terms Of admission to
their membership the greatest govern /
ment on earth should leave the matter TO
drift in such a loose and purposeless way.
once in the union always in the union,
and yet a majority vote OF congress at /
any time. accompanied by a presidents
signature, answers the purposes Of adnis- !
sion; most OF the territories have been
rushed in much as immigrants are natur-
allied just before an election day. AfteC !
the continental part OF our country Is &C. /
cupied by states. the question VIII not lie 1
long in arising over our insular posses /
sions. Is Cuba 10 become a state 80 the /
union. as Senator Elkins and Representa- /
tive Newlands proposed? This IS the way /
Texas was admitted. and the Pearl n the /
Antilles would probably require the same I
treatment. II il were peacefully 60 join Is. 4
Bat are the American people fully ready /
to have a great state. with ten OF twenty I
in congress from the West I
Indies. with ell that this implies OF race I
and institutions which are foreigu 60 USE I
How would Il seem 70 a presidential cleo
ton 70 have 70 await the returns from the (
inland settlements q Matanzas3 Then +
10 quote the famous words of Thomas j. !
Benton. there "a Asia The federal party 4
IN the Philippines wants American state 4
hood. and whue that & obviously a long 4
WAYS OF. who can say that tie same n 4
ruences which have IN the past operated 4
10 bring new members Into the family -
states here might not preTan thsa7 As
soon as the continental repubic IS al sd