Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-23

days and KEEP, the recording angel ousily
engaged for several minutes, while he gave
utlerance to the annexed whopper:
The population Of the proposed t%errlto.
~ is not less than $4,000. and the record Of
the vote last fall will show that it WAS
larger-about eight thousand-than the
whole number of people contained by any
other territory at the time of its organiza.
ton"
Now. Col. 1ounsbeIty, We propose 10
suggest to you, in full earnestness, that you
deliberately lied when you made that state.
ment, and you knew it,, and all your cola,
borers know it. The population of the
proposed territory will not contain, all told,
more taan 10000 souls and some of those
are 40 small that it will take half a dozen to
make e 1t is an %extravagant estimate to
place the population ofthe Hills at 5000,
and to find the other 1000 outside the Hills
would be almost an impossible task. Last
falls vote in the Hills is no indication Of
the present or future population, as n large
proportion Of thoee who were there then
have since left Besides, counting up ma
%jorities for a frontier election is one of the
transa ctions in which the t1ansactor
have unlimited privileges. The
bulk OF the population of Dakota IL
in the southeastern part and in the north
eastern corner. and it is because a few thou
sand adventures, who have taken possession
of the mines of the west, are seeking to
override the will Of a very large majority,
that We protest against the preparation Of
the scheme which would prove a death blow
to all We have labored to accomplish.
The interview went on through several
questions relating to commercial features,
topography and mining interests, which
have no special bearing upon the proposed
division, except that they 60 to show
that division which would
be just to us would be equal justice to the
people Of the mining corner of the territory.
Finally the reporter got down to his last
question, which was:
"There is a growing suspicion that the
object in establishing this territory is to
give Hayes a little more patronage and put
. few territorial Offices in his gift. How is
that ?"
To which the Immaculate lobbyist took
exceptions, as follows:
ut is a mistake, but look at it on the other
side. Should the interests of 25, 900 PEG,
pie be retarded because the creation Of q
new territory would give the president six
new appointments? Besides, he does not
seem to be very anxious to put his appoint
meets where they will do the republican
party the most good"
The eagicious interviewer hit the nail
square on the head in his final query and it
ook considerable Misrepresentation to en-.
able Lounsberry to squirm out of it.
The old fiction of 5000 people whose in.
interests were to be served was his refuge
and the hope that he might be one ofthe si1
a%ppointees gave him nerve to cling to the
fabrication. Lounsberry has gone down tc
posterity in print, accompanied by the male
dictions of 10000 people, whose future he is
laboring to destroy.
We do not wish TO be understood that
"the people Of Dakota" are opposed to q
proper division Of the territory. 1t is the
Tooth meridian scheme which they protest
against, A fair division they would support.
They have been endeavoring for years
past without success, to have all of the terri.
tory north of the 10th parallel made into a
new territory. They would even consent tc
= division with the 46th parallel and the
1920 meridian as the northern and western
boundaries.