The Plot to Carve a New Territory Out of Eastern Washington and Idaho

A proposition to organize a new territory from Eastern Washington and Idaho is now being seriously entertained, and is one that will awaken much argument pro and con. The facts as presented are strongly in favor of such a division, and many strong reasons are presented at the first glance why such an organization should be effected. The territories are all much larger than the older states, and should be reduced as they become states to a more uniform size, besides the interests of the eastern part of Washington are vastly different from those of the Western section. The topographical condition of this territory makes it apparent that some change will be made in its arrangement in the future and the idea now advanced is the best yet presented. We republish the following interesting article on the subject from the Walla Walla Union:

The telegraph reports the San Francisco Chronicle as discussing the scheme to organize a new Territory of the eastern part of Washington and the northern part of Idaho, and saying: "What the present population of the region is cannot be told, but if the mines are half what they are now reputed to be, there is no doubt that from 60,000 to 80,000 people will be settled in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho within twelve months from this date; and if that is realized, the movement for a new Territory can not be defeated. The Territory of Washington contains very nearly 70,000 square miles, and Idaho about 75,000. The two together are as large as the State of California, and nearly three times as large as Illinois. A new Territory could be cut out of them without reducing either below the area of Illinois and yet allow to the new one as many acres as are contained in Tennessee or Pennsylvania. The prospects of Washington for speedy admission as a state, to which position she aspires, would not be seriously discounted. We think Washington now contains 150,000 inhabitants on Puget Sound and east of the Cascade mountains, without going away up to these new mines; and the Sound population is very rapidly increasing, all along from Olympia to the line of British Columbia."

It must be evident to a careless observer that the opening of the Coeur d'Alene mines, with the inevitable rush of thousands of miners, mechanics, merchants, professional and business men to them, must add weight to the scheme to form a new Territory out of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. A glance at the map is enough to ascertain the formation of the country. The new mines are situated on the western slope of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, whose surplus waters find their way into the Columbia through the Spokane river, and whose mining population must obtain a great share of its provisions from the farming population in Eastern Washington and mining towns on the west. Located north of the center of the panhandle of Idaho, the character of the country makes it necessary, in order to reach the capital of that Territory, for the transaction of official business, to traverse many hundred miles through Montana, or Washington and return, while to reach the capital of Washington a journey of several hundred miles through Oregon has to be made. It is not reasonable to require the tens of thousands of people who will inhabit the Coeur d'Alene mining region, and obtained their supplies from Eastern Washington, or the officials with whom they have to deal, to make such long journeys when by a simple readjustment of Territorial lines and the location of the capital at Spokane Falls, or any of the other eligible sites, north of Snake river, nine-tenths of the journey and expense could be obviated. Delegate Sngtscr will be liable to the charge of gross neglect of duty if he does not secure the passage of a bill to create a Territory out of North Idaho and Washington. Delegate Brents will find it the best interests of his constituents in Eastern Washington.