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Show J , j STATEHOOD FOR IDAHO. t -. ! f i ; " oorheea, of Indiana, has introduced a i bill to provide fdr the formation as a j State and the admission into the Union J ! of the Territory of Idaho. The introduc- ' 4. ; tion of such a bill was a surprise, as the jj 4 question has not been mooted at all. If I' Idaho (is to. be admitted into the Union " ' as a State, none will envy her, while all who have friendly feelings towards her will congratulate her. The growth of Idaho in population since 1SS0 must have j been enormous to justify the introduction j j into Congress of a bill providing 4 ; for her admission into the sisterhood j i of States. In 1S70 her population was 14,999, while in 1SS0 her population ? was32,C10. Of this number 29,013 were I j ; white, and 3,597 coloreJ. This latter i j number included 165 Indians, and 3,379 J ; Chinese. From 1870 to 18S'3, Idaho, ac- ; " cording to these figures, doubled her pop- ! ulation, and the decade from 1S70 to 1SSD i was not one of great growth for Idaho. I Her growth 6ince the last census has been rapid, and has been of a substantial I ; character. This growth has been owing to many causes, chief among which may : bo mentioned the extension of tail- ( ,4 road facilities and the develop- I i ment of her mineral resources. If . Idaho were to depend upon her mineral l ' resources alone, she would be apt to find herself stranded at some future time the same as Nevada is to-day. But Idaho possesses resources of another kind, and the day is not far distant when she . will rival Wyoming as & cattle ' raising . Territory'. Terri-tory'. Her agricultural 'lands, are broad and ample, and already she has a very considerable farming population. And this population was in Idaho before her I mines began to draw population to her. i Having a very large agricultural population, popula-tion, she can supply her own markets, mar-kets, and so will not be compelled to depend upon her neighbors for her food supplies. To a mining country, and such Idaho bid3 fair to become, such a thing is of inestimable value. Idaho contains within her boundaries boun-daries all the resources of a great State, and to be a great State a " Territory must have many and ample resources. The question has been asked why a Democratic Senator should introduce a bill providing for the admission to the Union of a Territory that will probably be a Republican State. No reason can be given, unless it be the proper and obvious one that a Territory having the requisite population, and possessing all the elements which go to make a State, is entitled to Statehood. No party has a right to exclude a Territory merely because be-cause such Territory may lessen the strength of the party excluding such Territory. Ter-ritory. ' Idaho's total vote in 1884 for Delegate to Congress was 13,288, Delegate Dele-gate Hailey, Democrat, having a majority of 786. The Legislature for 1885-86 stands, seventeen Republicans, thirteen Democrats, and six Anti-Mormons. Her funded debt on November 15th, 1884, was .$69,248.60. Her receipts for the year ending November 1st, 1884, were $59,-176.95. $59,-176.95. The expenditures were not given. In 1884, Idaho's taxable property, as assessed, was, real, $7,568,192; personal, per-sonal, $7,929,406; total, $15,497,598. This is a little over half of the amount of taxable property of all kinds in Utah. This shows her capacity for self-government, but the burdens of Statehood would fall far more heavily upon her than do her burdens as a Territory. |