Jamestown alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1882, 1880-12-21
THE DIVISION QUESTION.

The Fargo Daily Argus, received the
following explanatory letter from judge
Bennett on the 18th inst.
"Tbe associated press despatch was
wrong in giving the forty seventh degree
Of north latitude as tue line of division.
| sent you copy of the bill yesterday,
which will explain itself. The same bill
has been introduced, on my request, in
the senate by senator Paddock. The
house committee on territories has not vt
had meeting this session and am not
advised as to how my measures for divis-
ion will fare in that committee wheh con.
sldered. The republicans are all favor.
able, and some democrats; but the latter
will be controlled by caucus action, so
they are rather non-committal. 1t has
been my intention to have the bill organ
ising the territory out.ot the north half
amended by substituting the name Of
Northern Dakota for that Of Pembina.
The line of division, whether the 46th or
47tL standard, do not deem very im-
portant, and many members here insist
on the former for one reason and another,
and would rather not make the change
no VIZ +
The following section Of the bill now
IN the hands OF the committee on terri.
tories will afford the readers Of The Alert
an idea OF the nature Of the proposed di-
vision:
Section g. That the state of Dakota shall con-
sist of all the territory included within the follow
ing boundaries to wit: Commencing at point on
the west line OF the state Of Minnesota where the
fortysixth degree Of north latitude ntersects the
same; thence south along the west boundary lines
intersection between the Big Sioux and Missouri
rivers thence up the Missouri river and along the
north line of the state of Nebraska to the east
boundary line of the territory Of Wyoming; thence
north along the east boundary lines of the terrific.
ries OF Wyoming and Montana to tho forty y-slxth
degree Of north latitude; THENCE east along said
forty sixth degree Of north latitude to the place of
beginning.
Judg. Bennett in his episte to the Ar
gus, expresses himself as having intended
to amend the bill, conceeding the name
of"Northe, Dakota to the northern por-
tion, but declines to change the line of
division fro,n the forly parallel to
the forty-seventh, as desired by some.
In this the Judge acts wisely, and We
believe IN unison with large majority Of
the well.informed citizens OF both South
ern and Northern Dakota. The forty-
sixth parallel seems, aud always bas
seemed, to be the most natural dividing
line. By creating division on the forty
sixth parallel no organized counties will
stand in The way, unless it. be Richiand,
which IS, as shown on the map. badly form
dc and cou be greatly imp oved by taking
a narrow strip off its southern boundary
The distance between the forty sixth psr :
a'lel and the forty.seventh standard does
not exceed five miles, and in rs much as
this small strip of territory does not con-
tain within itself any very great intrin-
sic value, we cannot see where there Is
anything to be gained by raising an issue
upon that point. If Northern Dakota ever
expects to be freed from Southern Dakota
it must learn to let we'll enough alone.
The bill, with the promised amendments,
now under consideration, dividing the
territory on the forty-sixth parallel, ad'
hitting the southen half as 4 state, and
leaving Northern Dakota as it is, with the
name Dakota, is good enough.