The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-05-09
PLEA FOR NEW STATE

Commencing upon the suggestion
contained In the report Of the special
committee Of the Spokane chamber
Of commerce and the 100000 cluL
o1tlinIng the boundaries Of the pro
posed new state, the Republican OF
Springfield, Mass, one Of tho fore.
most journals in New England, 70
fea 70 the Inland Empire a. ''that
wonderful productive section familiar
70 all travellers 10 the Pacific North
west" The full text Of the editorial
under the heading. New State Sug.
gasted, as 1t appears In the Republic
can Of April 30, follows:
1T has frequently been assumed
that. save for the undecided question
whether Arizona and New Mexico
shall come in as one state or two, the
problem Of statehood and state lines
has heen settled so far rs concerns
what IL commonly known as our CON
tinental territory, excluding Alaska.
Texas IL the largest OF all the states
and the one into which our whole
population might be placed without
its being more dense than the pres
ent@ population OF Belgium. For
that reason and because the POSSIBLE
icy Of subsequent division, was reor.
ganieod when Texas was admitted, 1t
might seem that Texas offered the
greatest likelihood Of change In state
lines and formation and separation Of
new states from old. But Senator
BailDy's brilliant apostrophe to Texas
In the senate two years ago may be
taken as IA indication that for the
present at least Texas contemplates
no such thing In the distant future,
II economic or political conditions
occasion real demand, the history
Of brilliant speech or even the her.
itage Of the Alamo will not alone be
enough TO balk 1t.
PRODUCTIVE SECTION.
''3ut In the far NORTHWEST there
appears to be q movement for the for
nation Of new state out Of territory
now withln the boundaries Of Wash
ington, Oregon end Idaho. This ter.
ritory 10 what 10 known Us the Inland
Empire, that wonderful productive
section familiar to all travellers to
the Pacific northwest. At this dis
tanoe II 10 diticult to tell how much,
II any, force there Is as yet In the
movement. But 1t Ii worth noting
that, considering geographical condi
tions alone, there Is at least some
reason In demand for the formation
Of such state.
"The movement at present has Its
headquarters In Spokane. Wash. A
joint committee Of the Spokane
Chamber Of Commerce and tbs 16O,.
600 club-a club formed to boom
Spokane until its population reaches
the 100, 900 mark--calls for con-
yention Of Representatives Of CONNER
clal organizations and industrial In
toreats from eastern Washington,
northern Idaho aud northeastern Ore
gon 10 meet In Spokane tho third
week In May 10 take action upon a
proposition already drawn up az TO
the proposed state.
FACTS ARE INTERESTING.
Boundaries figured In degrees Of
Longitude aud altitude carry with
them comparatively little meaning, |
but when they are proposed with 70.
latlou 20 high mountain ranges or
other natural barriers the case il
different The plan to be- proposed I
At Spokane apparently, contemplated
new state, with an area of some
40, 600 square miles, taken from the
three states OF Warrington, Oregon
and Idaho. Ia support Of the plan
certain geographical facts are cites
which aFe Of much interest, As re-
garda that part Of northern Idaho
which would b tikon, ii il pointed
out that there ~ absolutely no rail-
road connection between Il and south
eFn Idaho, but that a wild aud rug.
ged range Of mountains intervenes,
over which are only the erudest Of
tralls and wagon roads.
''lnhabltanta Of northern Idaho, In
order to reach their capital, are prac
tioslly forced TO leave their state,
cross into Washington, thence into
Oregon, from Oregon into southern
idaho, and 30 across several hundred
miles Of desert 20 Boise, Similarly
In Washington the Cascade mountains
interposo natural barrier between
the eastern aud western parts of the
stata although 10 this case. II IL to be I
noted that there IL a railroad across I
the mouatains, In Oregon also the
range divides the state into
sastern and western sections, the