The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-07-11

M0hAxS~zS ~ for admission to his Union
VII 49, and they eager to be
the fOrty-ninth state that dur
ng the recent celebration of Flag day, they flew
American banner in whose field of blue they
had sewed another star indicative of their
ambition.
VIII it be Alaska? The 1885 pioneers who
went there recently may be the vanguard of a
migration which will populate that territory so
rapidly that it will also have statehood ambi-
tons and the vast empire which was once
known as Stewards Folly" may honor the man
who bought it from Russia by joining the sister,
hood of states under his name
VIII it be Porto Rico which already has pop
ulatiOn more than three times that of Hawaii
and Alaska combined?
Or, instead of promoting of his territories
to the dignity of statehood, will Uncle Sam
play realtOr" and "Open up new subdivision?
In that case, will the new commonwealth be
'Illiana" composed of Cook county, ILL.,, and
Lake county, Ind?
Or will it be "Absaroka,' made by piecng
together parts of southwestern Montana north
eastern Wyoming and southwestern South Da-
kota?
Then again, it might be "Texlahoma" COM
posed of the Texas Panhandle and western
Oklahoma, including that strip of territory, 80
miles wide and 80 miles long, which was once
known as No Mans Land Or it might be "Cim-
for cattle state" down in the Southwest.
AS a matter of fact, several such ideas for
forming new states have been advanced during
the past few months even though they have not
Jared very well thus far. The Indiana legisla-
ture promptly squelched the suggestion that Lake
county secede from Hoosierdom and join with
Cook county to form "nliana" with Chicago as
its capital. The lack of harmony between that
city and downstate Illinois has more than once
rpcultpd n that hOth ho
better off If Chicago were commonwealth by
itself.
No doubt, either Rapid City, the thriving little
municipality which put itself on the map in the
days of President Calvin Coolidge or historic
old Deadwood would be glad to be the capital
of "AbsarOka," the forty ninth state which would
bear the tribal name of the Crow Indians. But
Sheridan, WyO. which is in the land of the
Sparrow Hawk People" (Absarokas) might dis
pute the claims of the Black Hills cities, even if
Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota would
agree to hand over slices of their territory for
a new state-which is doubtful.
The latest suggestion for the creation of a
new state-that of observation-disclosures about
when an enterprising Oklahoma Citan petitioned
the state legislature for such action, giving as
his reason the rank discrimination by parent
states against the counties within the described
territories by those in official authority" Com
menting on this proposal a Texas newspaper
dispatch TO the New York Times said:
I'm the past such proposals have originated
fugitively in Texas which is so large and diver
sifed that some sections occasionally feel dis
eliminated against politically. While this pro-
pOsal is more clearly defined than its predeces-
sors, it is extremely doubtful if it's fate Will
prove happier. What sentiment might have ex-
listed years ago for the division of Texas has
long since been dsspated, and with regard to
the rank discrimination against the Panhandle
it is only necessary to say that not only does
Governor Alfred come from one of the counties
that would 'secede,' but the four high men in
the race for governor of Texas last summer
were all from the region covered by the pro-
posed state.
Moreover, both economic and patriotic forces
resist division today. Modern means of rapid
transportation and communication are reducing
even this vast frontier TO neighborhood. The
approach of the Texas centennial is serving to
crystalline this unity, and it is significant that
some of the most enthusiastic manifestations
of pre-centennial patriotism coming from
the Panhandle, far removed from the shrines of
Texas historical period"
One of the proposals to which he refers came
about some five years ago when Vice President
Garner then a member of the house of repre-
sentatives, made a speech in congress advocat-
ing the division of Texas into five states as
means of giving the Lone Star state the repre-
sentation in congress, especially in the senate
which she feels she should have.
AS for the names of these five states, it is sug-
gested that there should be but Texas, and
that the central portion of the state which is
designated As Central Texas should bear it
This state should not embrace San Antonio as
well Austin and for that reason San Antonio
would have to be thrown into South Texas. for
which the name Alamo Davy Crockett is sug-
gested
Other state names suggested are Jefferson for
West Texas Sam Houston for East Texas, and
Hogg for North Texas. Another suggestion is
that the state of West Texas be called Pam
handle.
Texans who believe that they have the right
to divide their state up into five parts base that
right upon the terms, under which Texas was
annexed to the United States in 1916. At that
time Sam Houston was president of the Repub-
lie of Texas, Arson Jones was secretary of state
and Isaac Van Zandt was the Texan charge