Washington Territory's 1886 Statehood Bill
Delegate Voorhees presents the case for Washington Territory's admission into the Union, emphasizing the constitutional safeguards proposed in his latest bill.
Delegate Voorhees, representing Washington Territory, has introduced a bill providing for the admission of Washington Territory into the Union upon equal terms with the original states. The bill is an exhaustive document. It stipulates that Washington be admitted on a basis of republican form, ensuring no distinction in civil and political rights on account of race or color, except as to Indians not taxed. It mandates that no public money or credit shall be loaned to private corporations, and limits the state debt to two hundred thousand dollars. Furthermore, the constitution shall forbid any corporation from owning land for speculative purposes, and mandates that the state legislature shall impose laws against railroad monopolies to ensure fair rates for all citizens.
“It is Mr. Voorhees’ plan to have the state admitted on terms that would ensure its people all the rights possessed by the citizens of any of the other states.”
This article captures the final legislative push for Washington to move from a Territory to a State. It highlights a common 19th-century anxiety regarding corporate monopolies and speculative land-grabbing—issues that continue to echo in contemporary debates over the Pacific Northwest's rapid growth and housing affordability.
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