Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1882-12-06
STATEHOOD OR A FIGHT.
An Eloquent Presentation of the Cause Of
Southern Dakota.
Fargo Republican.

", 1te aDle TO pay Tor IL and should have
it by all means. Their population and
intelligence constitutes right for them
which congress, no matter what its DO
iitical complexion may be, is bound. by
the fundamental principles Of our gov
ernment to respect. What right has a
republican congress to say to great
commonwealth, "You stay out until we
are pleased to let you in" when it pos.
and precedent entities 1t to admission? !?
Or what right has democratic congress
to say to the same community. eve will
not let you in on account of party policy!"
Has congress no duties to perform that
are not subject to bias from party stand.
points? Or is it vested with dctatorial
powers by which it may put party before
people, and the interests of a few bond
holders before that of 100000 producers
of the worlds wealth? Why should
south Dakota beg for admission when it
is the plain duty of congress, knowing
her qualifications, to politely ask her 10
step in and take her proper place among
the leading states of our bright galaxy Of
western commonwealth? What has
politics to do with matter OF this kind
South Dakota is peopled by American
citizens who have come from eastern
homes to open the bosom of undeveloped
earth and take from the breast OF nature
to add to the wealth of the nation. They
represent every state and every people,
are of and for the United States of free
America. They are not aboriginees,
Chinese, or any other race of low down
representations of humanity, to whom
congress may say "come" or "go," as the
interests of the nation may dictate.
Where are our boasted American iber-
ties when vote in congress on q meas
ure of this kind is divided on party lines?
What are we to think of a party whose
principles are based on the sovereignty
of state and the right of local self gov
ernment, when as party, through its
representatives in congress this very
plank in their platform is repudiated and
broken into bits? They were weighed
in their own scales and found wanting.
They were asked last winter to help this
people secure their rights on this plat
form, and their response was an ignomi-
Gus reputation of their own principles.
Bourbon party policy was paramount in
the halls of congress and Jeffersonian
principles of true democracy had scarce
~ disciple in the whole throng. If this
ls the kind of democracy we are going
to haye, GOD save the mark there Is liz.
tie show for Dakota as state and terri.
tory, as one state, or as two territories,
We had better buy the ground and have
a little nation of our own.
On the republican side of the senate
the rights of 100000 American citizens
could not be conceded, because q few
capitalists had few county bonds that
must be settled first, and this was the
Fry pan the republicans cooked our fish
on. 1t looks to US more like game oI
battle.door and shuttlecock than the acts
of patriotic statesmen seeking to carry
out the fundamental principles of oul
constitution and dealing out Justice
There is no need of searching for issues
The people of the United States have ar
issue and live one, and il Dakota does
not get her rights at this session of con
gress the whole country will know that
there are 10 rights of the people, in Of
out OF Dakota, that congress will respect
when the party in majority imagine they
sec policy standing in the path of th,
!, execution of their duty. Will this no
be issue enough? Will it not be time fo
the people to organize patriot part,
| that will step in and put stop to til,
machinery that is run for party not peo
ple-policy and not principle? Nortl
Dakota does not desire admission JUS
yet, but she does desire division. Sh,
$ does not desire admission from the sim
:. pie fact that her people as mass are no
ready for 1t. They do not want stat,
Q taxation yet awhile, because the eountr,
is too young, and there Is no crying ne
. cesslty for statehood on our part. W,
do not, on the other hand, wish to stant
III the light OF our mora numerous neigh
: bors of the south. who are older AM
: better able to enter upon the response
l bllltles OF state government, and conse
quently we ask let us hay,
: division. What is there in thi
request of American citizens tha
/ should strike an average congressman q
unreasonable? Our friends of south Da
= kota, with their 220 miles of width an,
I $50 miles of length, bounded on the mort
!, bv the 46th parallel, have all the terr,
. tory that ought to be embraced unde
{ one system of local government. We d
. not want to be admitted as whole
because it would only make one set q
officers and one capital. The leadinI
\ cities of north Dakota would have moth
ing to fight over and some politician
would be forced to seek greener fields fo
l. the plying of their precarious vocationl
J. But this is our say. Three hundre,
l thousands citizens demand measure q
, the servants of the nation. It their righ
to demand and receive. Our success O
: failure will index the prerogative OF cor
8 gress as it is now regarded, and the Re
: publican is in favor of Dakota standiu
on her own basis rs community of in
dependent, thinking freemen, demand
: ing her rights like men and standing b
the principles of the republic until v
win or demonstrate the supremacy Of il
dividual congress over the principles Z
both the great political parties.
: If we must beg for our rights what wi
J. We have to do when favors are to b
!. dealt out? Let us see whether congres
| will ride our rights or respect them. W
+ can better afford to wait bit than /
e sacrifice our independence "a men an
4 American citizens for temporary an
q empty emoluments.
k Scene In the Sturla-s stiles Case.
S Chicago, Dec. 4-Quite dramatic an
n startling scene occurred in the Sturl.
7 Stiles murder case to-day. The defer