Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-06-13

The st. Paul Pioneer Press prints the
following editorial relative to south Da.
kota affairs:
A lively letter from Yankton indicates
that since south Dakota has been left in
the lurch by the selection of Bismarck
- the capital, interest in the proposition
ior . territorial convention at Huron has
taken new turn. The object of this
assembly as originally proposed was be-
lieved to be thepromotion of the politi.
cal ambitions of few active men, who
we're anxious to have all things cut and
dried by the time that south Dakota
should be admitted as state, and to fix
up slate for subsequent operations.
Now there is chance that the assembly
may take good deal larger view Of
Things, and be more truly representative
OF the people of that section of the ter.
r!tory. The rumor is that the conven.
ton will prepare a constitution
and submit it to tho people for rati.
aeR0tdQaR aeR0td69QaR .usp spRd I'D. ,thfan han.ed,o hafosa
that state legislature and state officers
could be elected and the management of
affairs tnrned over to them, so that south
Dakota would be state in spite of the
national legislature, in all respects save
participation in the national government.
1t is not impossible that cbagrin at the
removal of the capital should lend great
er support to such movement, if these
are its real intentions, than it would 9TH
erwise have received. Should this pro-
gramme be actually in contemplation,
there is this much to be said about it.
There is no power to prevent south Da-
kota from framing and adopting con-
stitution at her pleasure, and from COM
ing with it to demand admission as q
right. Furthermore, the responsibility
rssuch an anticipation Of what proper
ly follows the passage of an enabling act
would not rest properly upon the
people of Dakota, but upon the DEM
ocratic minority in the last congress,
which prevented consideration of the
Just demand for division and admission;
and the democratic majority in the next,
which has already signified its intention
of doing the same thing until after
another presidential election. There Is
precedent for such course in the history
of more than one state, and people can
lot be expected to be patient forever
when their just political rights are de
: MED them for q mere matter of party
advantage. The only pretexts that ar,
, now adduced for keeping Dakota out o
the union would answer just as we'll 10
the next fifty years. But the people o
the territory will do we'll to ,emembe
there is bound beyond which they can
not permit their just indignation to carr.
them without doing harm to their cause
1t is manifestly both their power AM
) their right to frame constitution an
} to assert their rights at Washingto
until they obtain them, even if part
has to be wrecked in the process. Bu
tho election of state officers an
the precipitation of o cont1it
between them and the territori,
authorities would be going astep too fa
Until the act of admission shall haI
been passed the authority Of the Unite
States is paramount in the territory, an
in such o contest as that which woul
side Of the territorial organization. I
attempt to oust it would be, to forte
the sympathy of candid people, which
now wholly with the people of Dakot
Division and admission cannot be t.
strenuously advocated. But the limit
proper action in this direction is Il
adoption of constitution, if the peop
90 desire. Then, if it is still determin
\ 1 SuWV luCgAOC 10 W OO ACdiOAs VIZ haSA
- will SEQ to it that the wrong is righte
The people of Dakota need to keep the
N. vita about them. and to distinguish
tween genuine efforts for the good OF t
. territory and the mercenary self seeki
which often lies at the bottom of pseu(
+ patriotic plans. The character a
% actions of the coming convention will
examined with great deal of interest
There is hardly any danger that
people will go to far. Their dispositi
has rather been to daily and procrast
Sc ate when active, aggressive act
ing would have brought better resu
Meanwhile corruption has been weav
it's tolls about them and they now t
'e- that it requires an effort to sunder
\. bonds. The Pioneer Press is . conse
- ative paper. Conservatism is all ri
when there is nothing the matter, bu
an emergency it is weak weapon OF
fense or defense. We do not advot
u collision or anything revolutionary
its nature, but We do fully believe
it ia time for the people to take 9
- Sl,~:, o,1 90 ~