Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-10
TIE ADMISSION OF DAKOTA A. A
STATE.

ADNAStoAO-N VIZ nv -
STATE.
a bill has already been introduced in
Congress for the admission of the Terri
tory of Dakota into the Union as
State.
The reasons for this movement can be
nothing else than purely partisan, and
as such it becomes one of the most pro-
neunced party questions certain to rise
in the present session of Congress.
The public should therefore under
stand the motives which impel this
action of the Republican party and the
exact grounds upon which the move
ment is based.
The arguments for the admission
must necessarily be wholly partisan or
demOgogical, and as absurd as they are
partisan. The arguments against the
admission will be grounded in public
political decency and equity, and sus-
tanned by the almost unbroken custom
Of the republic since its foundation.
The argument for its admission is sim
ply that it will give two Republican
Senators to that party, which isjust now
badly in need of Senators. To gain
political advantages by such process
might be more honest than to gain by
the purchase of MALONE, in 50 far as
political chicane is more honest than
absolute bribing, but in no other respect
would it be more decent.
Dakota was organized Us Territory
in 1861. In 1867 it had a population,
not including Indians, of 1921. In 1870
its population was II, ISL. Because the
recent census shows a struggling, float
ing and mining population, white and
red, Of about 1S5, GOO, it is claimed that
this Territory should be represented in
the Senate of the United States, the
equal Of such States as New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois.
The proprieties in regard to the ad-
mission Of State were first fixed in the
Constitution of the United States, which
established the number of Representa-
tives in the first House of Congress. 1t
provided that the number should not
exceed one for every $4,000 inhabitants,
but that each State should have at least
one Representative.
1t is claimed by the advocates of the
admission Of this borough, Dakota, that
Rhode Island and Delaware were at the
formation of the republic and still are
States of small population. But these
States, in the first place, were of the
original thirteen independent colonies
that fought the war Of independence
and created the republic. They were
small colonies and their rights were
jealousy guarded. But, Is compared
with Dakota to-day, doubly entitled to
admission as States in the Union.
The important fact to be con-
sidered Is the relation of the
population of the States to the ratio of
their admission into the Union. The
first ratio Of representation as established
by the Constitution was $4,000. The pop
ulation Of Rhode Island, according to
the census taken, was SO, 000-more than
double the ratio of representstion-and
the population Of Delaware by the first
census was $1,000, or exactly double the
ratio Of representation; 50 that In the
Constitution itself the principle was en-
bodied that State should be at least
entitled TO two Representatives in the
House according to the current ratio Of
representation before 1t should be emil
tied to two representatives in the Senate
Of the United States.
This general doctrine has been essen
tally sustained by the custom Of the
republic as to the admission of States
| since that time. Vermont was theearii
est State to be admitted after the orig
ina thirteen, but Vermont came with
Q population Of 81, 200, nearly emitting
that State TO three representatives. Ken
lucky followed, with q population of
$1,000, emitting her to two representa-
tves, with half ratio to spare. Then
came Tennessee, with 1900, the ratio