Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-08-10
why NOT A STATE
Il lisa" Black iiiils Paper Witch Ash. this
Question.

u Is u Black liills Paper Witch h this
Question.
rcadwool Times, July 3ist.
A good deal has been said and written
about q new territory, and hut little, If any,
thing, Of . state. A new territory would
give us no advantage over what we have
now, excepting the inalienable right of
voting for more--taxes. That indispensi-
BILE blessing ID vouchsafed to us for all time
to com under our form of government, aud
past experience shows that we have used it
to generous advantages whenever opporiu.
nifty offers. And under. q different and ser.
arate territorial organization, s~egregatinR ua
from eastern Dakota, our opportunities and
necessities would indcuce and REQUIRE
us to enlarge the work and labor Of
that inevitable and omniprevalent function
airy, the tax gatherer. This is about the
only enlargement and extension of our
sphere Of usefulness that We would derive
under a new territorial organization. We
could then AZ now, vote for a delegate to
congress, who is a mere 6gure.head in the
councils of the nation, vote for members of
the territorial legislature and, thank God,
still retain the inestimable privilege Of ex-
ercising, in this lind of the free and home
Of the brave, our franchises in %electing JUS
tees of the peace, and appointing without
limit, notaries public. But under a state ?
We would have two United States senators
and mi live member of congress. Who is
there in these Hills that would not infinitely
prefer to be one of these than a busting del
egate? We boldly venture the assertion that
there is not a man with a drop of patriotic
blood couraing in his veins, who ever for q
moment imagined in the innermost rccesses
of his heart that he could illume the halls Of
our national Legislature, but that would pre-
fer the position Of senator or congressman to
delegate. Under a state we would be certain
to get one Of these so than the dele
gateship. And again we could elect our own
spot, Horatio!" What a wealth of material,
an abundance ofmatter, a versatility of talent
from which to select our Judges! If any
doubling Thomas questions it, let him sit for
half a day in Fl ont Of WEIGH House and count
the number of times his ears will be tickled
with the:tlme honored salutation of "Judge,"
many of them, too, sadly to state, going to
seed for want Of something to do-for want OF
a state.
Having disposed of our congressman aud
Judges, there are other considerations why
under q state organization we would have
advantages of i%ncalculable value and bene-
fit that we never can have in a territory.
We at once become an integral and compo-
nent part of the government, Gre brought
into direct communication with it upon an
equal footing with the other states and are
independent, not dependent, to assert our
rights to its protection, aid and assistance
wherein and wherever our material and
substantial interests might require. As
such we would be the peer of the Oldest,
the wealthiest or most populous of the
states, for the government of the United
States recognizes no distinction, shows no
partiality, discriminatcs neither for or
against any of the states, for it is a Union
of States" and will last as long as this prin-
ciple. which is the one upon which 1t is
founded. is recognized and continues in
force. The theory which our government
first promulgated to the world for reccgn:-
ton of its independence, is the one of poll.
teal equality and equal rights, and people
who will voluntarily consent in this day Of
the worlds civilization and advancement to
a government that places them in the posi-
ton of subordinates and dependents, are un.
worthy and incapable of the rights of free
American citizens.