Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-02-09
AN IMAGINARY SESSION.

An IMAGINARY SESSION.
Which Takes up a Discussion OF the For
eigh Language Enactment.
The following was written by agentle-
man now in the city and Mt his request
we give it place:
REGULAR MEETING OF THE SECOND
COUNCIL.
Mr.. President in the chair.
Sereeant-at-arms-M President: A
message from the house
I am instructed to inform you that the
house has this day passed q, bill ordering
the teaching of foreign languages in our
common schools.
-President-What will you do with the
bill?
Mr.. Native Americana have always
been educated to believe that this coun-
try (America) should be ruled by the
Americans, and that those foreigners
have nothing to say concerning our
schools or anything else. We propose
to be masters IN our own house.
Mr.. Policy-Mr. President. The princi-
pies set forth by my friend, Native Amer
ican, are correct, but think we will have
to take things as they are. and adapt
ourselves to circumstances. There are
two strange reasons why we should do
something for these people. The first is
that we need these foreigners. We need
their young girls to do our housework
and to take care of our wives and chill
dren. We need the strong arms of their
men to do our hard labor. to cultivate
our lands, to- pay a big proportion Of our
taxes and especially to elect us into Of
fee. I venture to say that there are few,
tn this house, who have not been elected
by the help Of foreign voters.
Mr.. Inventive-Mr. President: think
that the reasons given by my colleague
are correct, and move you that the word
foreign" be stricken out and the word
"German" beinserted in lieu thereof. By
so doing we will get the good will Of, the
German population, and they may be-
come republicans. You know there are
good democrats amongst them; while
the Scandinavians nearly all are republi-
cans, and we have got them; they have
not yet seen enough to notice that we
discriminate against them although there
are probably eight or ten Scandinaviana
in the territory for each German.
Mr.. Sly Mani second the motion,
Mr.. President. It will be fine trick on
the house. That body will have the re.
sponsibility and we get clear Of all blame
We will treat them now as we did in the
railroad bill case.
,Independent-Mr. President: I an
sorry to hear the reasoning and argu
ment of the honorable members. I never
knew of o more unjust, and unreasona
ble bill. In the first place you make 6
partial law and discriminate between
nationalities, and in favor of small por.
ton, we'll sprinkled with democrats
against large portion nearly all repub'
lican. Mr.. Ellefson, Of the house, did
not vote against such q law from any othel
motive than that the time had not come
to introduce foreign languages. when we
can have no more than three months
schooling in English. But if you enact
such law, make it universal and not
partial. A large majority Of the mem
bers have been elected by Scandinavian
votes and if you use them in this way
you may drive them to. political despera
tion, and if you do, it may become more
effective than you imagine. I am well
assured that there ard members in the
housA who will post the Scandinavian
press, and before you reach home, yor
will find your constituents posted.
have nothing against the German ele
ment. They and the Scandinavians max,
q large percentage of our best citizens
But, say, use them alike. The abuses
against Mr.. Ellefson in the German pa
per were, in my opinion, unca1led for
but heard Mr.. E. say that it was mo-
!, worth while to get offended, considering
where it came from. . S'-' . . go "
1 b. ~