By end-game the gnome will have 20 STR...AND, that gnome will be equal in strength to the Goliath fighter who equally invested in strength.
This is a key point. The max ability score for EVERY race through ASIs is 20. If my level 12 gnome can train hard to get 20 strength, exactly the same as a level 12 orc, then why can't my gnome start out with 16 STR? Backstory of intensive training or steroids or whatever
