Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-02-05
BEN EtrT'S BILL FAILS.

The Dakota division and admission
bill. Of Delegate Bennett's, has finally
failed by an adverse report from the
committee on territories. This ends the
thing So far as this session Of congress
is concerned, 1t is probable that it will
be again urged before tho next congress,
but ii is 10 be hoped that they will 20 in
for admission and not handicap the
measure with the division clause. III
Dakota is admitted as a state il can after
necessary, but al present there no use
in attempting to do too much at once.
The democrats will not care 10 take
upon themselves the odium Of keeping
ont Il territory that has Us large popu-
lation rs we have, even if It's political
complexion is republican. But when
they see an attempt made To bring in
three or four new states, and six or
eight republican senators, they are
bound To resist il to the uttcrmoSt. 80
far a. We ere concerned We do not desire
to see Dakota Shorn of any part of her
territory. until il is definitely shown
that we can do better without il, and
that the portion to be set off can do
better without us. Dakota as whole
will advance in wealth and commercial
importance ",tn more rapid strides 1ur-
ing the ncN two Years than any other
-,., ,,a ,rl,,l. r. ,i,n and han
we see = necessity for division, well
and -uoi. jest now, it seems 10 MS
every nerve should be strained to Sc
cure admission, without dividing the
sentiment Of the people and destroying
harmony in working, by attempting TO
force upon them a measure that actually
has only the support Of ii minority.
There are some, we grant, who earnest
" desire division. and some who AS
earnestly desire to remain as AT present
While between the two extremes, there
is 4 still larger class who do not seem to
care which course is adopted. provided
that DE portion in which they live be-
comes state speedily. The very fact
that there are 80 many who are apathe-
tie in this matter. shows that there is no
urgent and positive need for division
For whenever it becom"s certain that
both sections will be mutually bcne-
flied by separation, il will he seen
that nearly every one will be clamorous
for divorce from that portion. which
retarls the growth OF the section in
which the petitioner resides. That this
need for division may soon come we do
not dispute, but we don't think that it
has come yet, and We do think that it
has weakened our chances for adms-
sion.
1t is claimed by the Sioux City Journ-
al that Delegate Bcnnctt's bill has failed
mainly by reason of opposition from
Dakota politicians, who are jealous of
the prominence which the passage of
the bill would give to Bennett Infer
ring, We presume, that the eclat would
boost him into the senate, SO soon as we
were admitted This belief. we believe
to be an error, as many of BENEFITS
warm friends do not approve of the
division clause of the bill, and will not
grieve very much over its failure. We
have plenty of senatorial timber in
Dakota, but even with this plenty to
choose from, we only desire to see as
good a worker. as Delegate Bennett
pladc p senator There are no doubt
Just as good men, and our only hope is,
that one of them may soon have an OPP
portunity to show his PAGES.