Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-01-03
EQUALITY OF THE STATES.

E0ORt|lN W tfIc y - 60.
The Denver Republican contains the
following able article on the equality
Of the states:
In their eegerness to find some
objection to the admission OF New
Mexico and Arizona members OF the
senate committee on territories who
signed the majority report against the
admission OF those territories made
declaration which was certainly
strange. coming as II did from men oc-
copying the high station OF senators
from American states We refer to the
following concerning the equality OF
the states:
Despite the fact that the differ
ent sizes of the thirteen colonies
and the insistence of ambitious
men from the smaller states for
an equal representation IN the SEN
ate with the larger ones COMPEL
ed the anomalous compromise by
which small states secured as
large vote in the senate as the
large ones: nevertheless the gen.
eral theory, OF course, was that
there should be government by
population and not by area
mo man who understands the con.
stltutional history of this country can
be blind TO the fact that the insistence
upon equality Of representation in the
senate was not the work OF ambitious
men from smaller states" but the de-
mand OF nose states themselves. It
wus recognized from the beginning
that to deny equality OF representation
was to deny the equality OF the states
az sovereign and independent common
wealths. The union Is based upon the
theory that the states are equal with
enc another. as the nations OF Europe
stand. in respect to sovereignty. indie
pendence and the rights of distinct
communities. upon equal ground.
''The union would never have been
formed II this equality had not been
recognized As II was, Rhode Island
remained out OF the union until after
the FIRST presidential election. The
compromise which the members OF the
majority ef the senate committee on
territories have pleased to refer To as
"anamolous" saved the attempt 10
form more perfect union" fiom de-
feat. II recognized the equality OF
states by insuring them equality Of
representation In the senate. but II
also recognized the differences In Pop
ulation by basing representation In the
house of representatives upon the
number OF inhabitants in state.
Commenting upon this. Justice
Story uses the following language in
his work on the constitution OF the
United States:
Whatever may be thought of the
reasoning OF the Contending par.
tioA. no person who possesses
sincere love OF country, and wish
ea for the permanent union Of the
Gtatcs. eau doubt that the compro-
mise actually made was well found
ed IN policy. and now may be fully
vlndirated upon the highest prin-
Cipes Of political wisdom and the
true nature Of the government
which was intended To be estah-
lished'
1T is strange that Senator billing
ham, of Vermont. aud Senator Burn
ham, Of New Hampshire. give their ap
provRl 30 80 un-American a declara-
ton rs that which We have quoted
from the report in question. Although
Vermont vas not one of the original
thirteen states. II belongs 10 the group
of extremely small states. No senator
from New Hampshire should have put
his signature TO a document declaring
that the representation In the senate
was the result OF an "anamolous com.
promise" occurred through The insist
ence of 'ambitious men"
by the attitude Of the majority OF
che committee we are brought face TO
face with a condition parallel with the
one To which Mr.. Madison directed at
fertion In the convention which fran.
ed the national constitution. In the
debate on the question OF representa-.
zion IN the senate. he said that what
the country had 20 fear was sot the
conflicting interests OF the large and
small states. but the conflict growing
out of the difference In interest be-
tween the north and the south. So We