Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-28
AANKEYE STATE ADMITTED TO
UNION JUST SEVENTY
YEARS AGO.
SIXTEENTH STATE TO
JOIN GREAT FEDERATION
Entrance Not Accomplished Without
Struggle Pioneers Twice Voted
Against Diseardins Territorial
CIothes-No Celebration of Anniver.
sary Being Hold.
Iowa has a birthday today.

Perhaps it is an anniversary and not
a birthday, because about ever so often
some individual bent on technical Ian
guage insists that the only birthday
for any person, place or thing is the
day on which the person, place or
thing was born and that the date COM
memorating the event is an anniver-
sary and not a birthday
Anyway Iowa has birthday today
and the state is 20 years old on TINS
anniversary.
Iowa was admitted as a state Dec.
%, 1916, and was the sixteenth state 10
Join the thirteen original states OF the
union. Nineteen states have been ad-
mitted since Iowa became a state, WIS
Consin becoming a state two years lat
er and California four years later.
An Old Time Fight.
The admission of Iowa into the union
seventy years ago today, on Dec. Is
1916, was not accomplished without a
long struggle A member of the re-
search staff of the State Historical So
Ciety OF Iowa has pointed out the fact
that the territory Of Iowa had scarcely
been established in 1888 when there
sprang up an agitation in favor OF
statehood. In his message Of Novem-
Der, 1889, Governor Robert Lucas gave
his hearty support to the movement,
but the legislature failed to act upon
his suggestion. In 1910, however, an
act was passed submitting the question
TO a vote of the people. The result WAS
statehood
Two years later the people again de-
feated the proposition to form state
government But by 1914 they had
changed their minds. Delegates TO d
constitutional convention were chosen
and constitution was drawn up. Once
more all hopes were dashed to the
ground, for congress reduced the
boundaries of the proposed state, cut
ting 1t off entirely from the Missouri
river, and thereupon the people Of Iowa
refused to ratify the constitution. TWO
more years passed before another con-
vention drew up new constitution,
which was adopted by the people, and
the state was admitted into the union
with it's present boundaries.
Started With Many Politicians.
1t was just at the close of the year
1916 that President Polk signed the act
of congress which made Iowa a state
ION equal footing with the original
states in all respects whatsoever" Pro-
lessor Benjamin F. Shambaugh. super
intendent Of the State Historical So
ciety of Iowa. is authority for the
statement that turnout Iowa thera
was a very general feeling of satsfacA
ton with the new political status
which came with the establishment OF
state government and admission into
the union. Having outlived the condi-
tons of territorial government the pi-
oneers of Iowa now entered into the
+ new political life without regret. They
rejoiced over the fact that they were
recognized as a part Of a great nation
They appreciated the significance OF
the change. Nor were the pioneers of
Iowa strangers to national political life
AS settlers on the public domain they
were in a very special sense the chill
dren Of the nation. They had always
cherished the inheritances Of the 'Fa-
theirs But now the days of depend
ence were over
Iowa has not acquired the habit of
celebrating the anniversary Of her adj
mission into the union.