Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-09

union compact; aud there would
be just as much good sense and legal
reasoning in United States senator asking
that his state should bc allowed to declare
war and make treaties as for q delegate to
demand sovereign political power for his
territory.
The measure introduced by our delegate
and advocated by the delegates from other
territories does not provide for complete
political power such as it is exercised by the
states. Its provisions imply that territories
may elect the ofiicersIwho attend to the man.
agement. of aiIairs within the territories.
As no person outside Of territory is sol
greatly interested in their affairs rs those
within territory, upon whom their control
has an immediate bearing, we do not see
that the Operative plan Of the republic
would suffer any innovation by the enact
ment Of a law Of this nature. The plan Of
this republic is guaranty to its people Of
the fullest enjoyment of the privileges of
citizenship, chief among which i, rcprescn-
tation in return for taxation imposed. 1t is
no part Of the operative plan Of this or any
other genuine republic that community
must furnish the means for maintaining itself
in corporate capacity and be denied the
privilege of electing who shall manage the
affairs of the common organization. Their
right to do this is the corner stone of the re-
public, the fundamental basis of the const::-
tuition, establishedby seven years of armed
conflict.
The constitution of the United States
makes no reference to territories or to terri
torial affairs except to say that congress has
the power to create all needful rules and
regulations concerning their management.
Touching 80 lightly upon this important
subject, it clearly implies that it advances
no theory regarding the status of territories,
but transfers full control to the Legislative
body of the government. Congress, thus
empowered, can grant to territories the right
to select their own officers, and there is no
absurdity, nor even unreasonableness, in up
holding the prerogative of the people to ex-
ercise this paramount privilege of citizenship
The sentimental notion that the general
government is our guardian and we its
wards should be eradicated from the creed
of every true western man as completely as
it has been abolished from the thoughts Of
those who make and enforce national laws
We Of the territories are the self-supporting
ones. We develop our resources and pay
the expense in time, labor and money. 1t
is the states, and not the territories, which
receive beneficient appropriations from the
national treasury in furthcrarce of their
interests. Therefore we are not wards, in
any sense of the word, SO long as we remain
outside the union Estates.
The final statement made by the Standard
in the paragraph quoted is one of those
blind assertions which are sometimes writ
ten merely because they look we'll in print.
The constitution Of the United States speci-
lically declares that individual states have
not the power to declare war or to enact
treaties, while it as clearly indicates that
congress has the authority to grant political
rights to territories whenever it sees fit.
The position assumed by our cotemporary
is.not patriotic one. 1t is disloyal to the
interests of the people. 1t seeks to assume
that we have no rights, when constitutional
law, justice and common sense prescribe 10
the contrary.