Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-02-13
OLD AND NEW STATES.

from the springfield Republican.
Without entering deeply into the
character of the opposition to the
statehood bill, which still holds the
first place in the proceedings of the
United States senate, it is not unfair
or untruthful to say that a good part
OF 1T is due to the dislike of the old
err and more populous states of the
east and middle west 70 weakeniag
their power still more in the upper
branch of congress. There is the par
tisan reason, of course. affecting both
democrats and republicans, especially
the democrats, but the feeling that
the new states would have a very
disproportionate share in the senate
is largely responsible for the general
lack of support the bill receives in the
northeast.
AS far back as the convention of
1887, which framed the federal consti-
tuition, this feeling on the part of the
old states toward new ones has ex-
listed with more or less strength. 1t
is a curious fact that in the conven-
ton a serious effort was made to re-
strict by constitutional provision the
representation of new states in con
gress. Mr.. Gerry offered a motion
tHdt III " ~ SCCuIC tiiC llDCl-
ties of the states already confederat-
ed, the number of representatives in
the first branch of the states which
shall hereafter be established shall
never exceed in number the represen-
tatives from such states as shall ac-
cede to this confederation" Had the
motion prevailed, the senate would
ultimately have beer composed of
twenty-six senators from the original
thirteen states, and twenty-six divid-
ed among all the other states which
in future might have entered the
Union. The idea was not to prevent
the creation of new states, OF to deny
them representation in the lower
house, but to keep the senate perpet-
ually under the control of what were
then the "old states"
Gerry's motion received the support
on a ballot of Massachusetts,, Connect
Icut, Maryland and Delaware, while
was divided on the
question. Five states voted against
It, and thus the motion was defeated
by one vote. Such a statesman as
Morris was in favor Of it.
Roger Sherman opposed it on the
that the number Of future
states would never exceed that OF the
existing states. Such a condition of
Affairs might come about, he argued.
1T is too remote to be taken into
consideration at this time.'Then he
advanced the soldier reason for op-
,osing the scheme that I'VE are pro-
riding for u ~posterity, for our chill
lren and our grandchildren who
would be as likely to be citizens of
lew western states as of the old
Roger Sherman was a wise
nan. He made the only speech in OBJ
to Mr.. Gerry's idea, and it
vas his speech that probably killed
motion.
1t was the feeling that the new
tates would be inhabited n govern
d by their own descendants largely
hat moved the members Of the fed
convention Of 1887 to refuse to
q G b new states on unequal terms
nth the old ones; and the same
ceiling has served to make admission
, the Union comparatively easv
yer since the present government
'as founded. II New Mexico and Art
had no Spanish-speaking popula-
on, II their inhabitants were exclu-
lvely descendants of the people Of
- older states. there would Be 10