The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-07
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEB. 7, 1917.
SECESSION IN IDAHO.

Every once in while somebody starts anew the
agitation for the creation OF new state out Of the
territory Of some Of the old Ones
We Of the northwest have become accustomed to
the biennial discussion Of proposed state, to be
created out Of portion Of eastern Washington the
Idaho panhandle and western Montana.
While the proponents are usually little vague as
to the exact boundaries. it is generally believed that
the fountain head of the matter can generally be
traced to the back rooms Of Spokane real estate Of
fces whose propnetors seem imbued with the notion
that such proceeding would materially enhance
the value OF town lots in neighboring city of the
famous Inland Empire the metropolis of which
would naturally hope to be named as the capital of
the proposed new state
But other communities. at times, also dream of
reahgnment OF state boundaries Only recently there
has been some discussion down in New York civ Of
the feasibility Of creating state out Of New York
city, which would also include Jersey City on the
south bank Of the Hudson and the Borough of
Brooklyn.
The latest movement for separate statehood is now
launched in the Idaho legislature The impeIGne
cause there seems to be an acute controversy that
has arisen over the proposed removal Of the state
university from Moscow to some point in southern
Idaho.
here the matter has taken definite form, and,
according to last Sundays Boise Statesman, even
majority of the members Of both houses have ex-
pressed themselves as favorable to the plan
1t is known that communications have been sent
by member Of the Idaho legislature to one or more
members at Helena. urging similar movement at the
present Montana legislative session.
As The Muscular has heretofore pointed out. in
order to create new state. the proposal would have
10 have not only the sanction of each individual
state whose territory might be affected. but also the
Joint approval Of both houses of the United States
congress and the president
1t would take an optmist Of rare vision indeed who
could bring himself to that state of mind so as to
even imagine a ma onty of the federal congress
agreeing to plan that would give another western
state, with population hardly sufficient for one lone
member of the national house Of representatives. two
additional members Of the federal senate, as against
New York with 43 congressman and only two
senators Pennsy lvania with 81, Illinois with Is
Ohio with y members.
But the story of the proposed secession in Idaho
makes interesting reading anyway:
Efforts on the part of the people of north
Idaho 10 break away from the southern half
of the state and form a separate commonwealth
Of the territory north of the Salmon river took
concrete form Saturday. when it was announced
that majority of the members in both houses
of the legislature had signed a pledge to support
q division measure
Northern members Of the legislature respon-
siblc for the plan were reluctant to give out
any information. but it is known that n bill or
resolution providing Tor the creation of n now
state out of the Panhandle country will be in
troduced Monday in the legislature. A consti-
tntional convention is to be called by tho north
in June.
Ihlrty-thfce members in the house have
signed the pledge circulated by northern mem
bers' Nineteen members of the senate have
signed it. The signatures represent maforitics
in both branches
1t is not yet definitely known where the south
ern boundary of the proposed new state is to no
established, but it will be fixed tonight at !:
of members of the legislature from
northern counties. Neither is it known what
name is to be given the proposed new common
wealth.
With a sufficient number of votes tied up to
allow the measure to slip through the leesla-
ture. the Panhandle country only be pre-
vented from seeding through the refusal of the
governor to sign the bill to be introduced or
If it takes another form, by failure the United
States congress to admit the proposed new state
TO the Union.
1t is claimed by those active in the interests
of the north that the commonwealth they pro-
pose to create has a property valuation Of $780,.