The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-04-18
PETITION FOR
NEW STATE is NOT
INlNOVATION
For Half Century Back There Has
Been a Proposal to Make State
Out of Northern Idaho and
Eastern Washington.

Spokane, Wash, April lS.-Agita
| tion for formation of new state from
counties of northern Idaho and east
ern Washington, to be carried on fol-
the next two years in the territory af
fected by a commission of Idaho eiti'
gems under authority of the last Idaho
legislature, has existed In one form OF
another for more than half century
As early as January, 1861, memo
rial to Congress, asking for the ere
alton of the territory of Walla Walla'
from parts of the territory east of the
Cascade mountains, was brought up In
the Washington territorial legislature
but was lost. Two years later the leg
islature, in compliance with petitions
signed by the people considered a bill
TO submit to the voters a constitution
for the proposed new state of Idaho,
After having inserted Washington
for "Idaho" in the bill, however, the
legislature killed the measure.
This was followed by the creation by
Congress of Idaho territory, giving
Washington territory the present east
ern boundary of the state. Agitation
for separation of the northern coun-
ties of Idaho from the rest Of the state
was soon precipitated within the new
territory, however, when the territorial
legislature, in 1864, permanently 10
Gated the capital, which had been at
Lewiston, in the northern part, at
Boise, in the southern section, and this
has been continued intermmittently to
the present time.
Meanwhile, in the Washington ter.
ritorial legislature. the agitation
fared up on occasion. In 1868, the
legislature adopted a memorial TO Con-
gress which asked that the "panhan-
die" of Idaho, created by the forma
tion of the territory of Montana. be
returned TO Washington This memo
rial recited the geographical barrier be-
tween the northern part OF Idaho and
the capital, and declared that "the
commercial social and political inter
ests of the people Of said northern por.
tion of Idaho are identical with those
of the people of Washington territory"
This argument is, in the main, the
same as that advanced at the present
time by advocates of the formation of
q new state.
Similar memorials were adopted by
the Washington legislature in succeed.
ing years, and in 1875 it submitted to
the people a proposal for statehood.
This was approved, and in the consti-
tutional convention which met three
years later were two representatives
Of northern Idaho. Although the con
stitution was adopted by the people at
the next election, Congress refused to
'reate the new state.
The nearest that advocates Of "secre
taries" of northern Idaho ever came to |
realizing their hopes was in 1885, when
)nly the lack Of presidential approval !
prevented Il. The Idaho territorial |
legislature in 1884, had memorialized |
Congress for annexation Of the north
I'm counties TO Washington. and in /
he following election both political /
parties in both Washington and Idaho |
declared for such annexation.
A bill providing for the separation
passed both houses of the 49th Con
,ress, but failed 70 receive the approx
i of President Cleveland.
Other bills introduced in the same
ession of Congress, but which failed
# passage. provided for division OF
he Idaho panhandle" between Wash
ngton and Montana, by annexiRg that
art Of It north Of the 47th parallel
f latitude, included in the five pres
Mt northern most counties Of the state,
o the latter territory.
The present agitation provides for
eparation Of the ten northern counties
Z Idaho and part Of eastern Wash
ngton and their admission to the I'M
IN as the state Of Lincoln. A memo
ial TO this effect was introduced in the
,st session Of the Washington legis-
,ture but failed Of passage.