Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-10-02
STATEHOOD.

The reflections of ara Eastern Corrcspond-
ent who attended the Constitutional
Convention.
p. i. Heath tstaf correspondent in the Wash
ingtsn Critic.
Sioux Falls, Sept. 20-A constitution
Tor the state of Dakota has been adopted
by the first constitutional convention.
which adjourned after two weeks'
| session yesterday, and is ready to go be.
fore the people of the proposed state
for ratification in November next. The
estate OF Dakota" embraces all that
country south OF the forty-sixth parallel.
and the forty sixth parallel runs south
of the Northern Pacific railroad about
seventy five miles. 1t Govern an area of
su,UOO square miles. and is said 10 DOS.
sess fully 100000 people. The major
portion OF the state ls settled. much of it
AS thickly populated and almost as well
improved as the interior OF Minnesota,
Iowa, Nebraska. Colorado and other
western states.
The people ou:rauk those | have ever
met SO far west III the matter of intelli
gence, honesty, energy and patriotism.
hey are ali men, and not. as the strik
ing tclegrapher would put it, "scabs. y
They have come here TO improve fiue
new country, and having complied with
all the requirements for the attain.
ment OF state government, and earn.
estiy desiring it. they have framed
and adopted constitution based upon
economy. utility and general good sense,
guaranteeing freedom aud protection,
and they will lay it before congress
through twenty-five of their representa-
tive men early in the next session and
ask for its ratification and the admission
OF south Dakota into the United States.
They will ask admission respectfully, but
urgently, and ifrefused they will demand
1t. II they are still refused, what then !?
you ask. They will simply say that lib
erty and justice-the rights which the
stars and stripes have sworn to protect
have been disregarded, trampied under
feet all covered with bunions of corrup-
ton and ghouty by fraud. These men
are neither knaves nor fools, and they do
not propose to use up in arms nor estab
llsh an empire, if they are not given the
rights that are due them and which they
ask. No; they will merely 'say nothing
but saw wood, awaiting, under the veil
OF the old saw, "tIs long lane that has
no turn" and Antil the wheel turns
round and they are given opportunity to
shove in spoke and cause ii to slip a
cog.
l have been here during all OF this con-
vention. | CLAIM the pleasure OF know
lug personally every one of the 195 or
$40 delegates wao were in attendance,
und for good, hard, every-day common
sense, congress nor the distinguished
senators OF the third house do not
shine one sciutllla brighter. They are
all sharp, long headed men, regular old
John Jacob Astor steel traps, Set on hair
springs. They mean to have statehood
and to have it this winter-the winter OF
lSS3-S4, not Smother winter nor mother
tine-and if democratic house or q
cranky republican senator defeats their
purposes | shall hereafter cease posing
as the philosopher aud statesman OF the
Critic staff.
When the constitution is presented to
congress it will be backed by large vote
of the electors of the to-be-state; also. a
true census. showing that there is an
abundance of the required population
more than enough for two congressman
under the figures of the npportionment
and any amount o! statistics and proofs
Of uDanimity of the people on the sub
ject. The matter has been studied in all
its phases by solemn, deep thinkers, men
of experience in both houses of congress,
on the supreme bench and in constltu-
ton making and state making, and l
must say. with degree of candor that
is bred OF third thought, that if demo-
nj hon ~ =, nF - I,
pad refuses these people statehood
presidential campaign-it won't be con-
of that party or the future ambitions of
that sordid individual loaded with bile.
Fact is, SO far as statehood is concern.
ed, Dakota has its opposers down, fiat on
their backs aud pinioned by reason,
pared to meet successfully every objec-
ton that can be raised. They have lain
awake, these men, many O night fer the
perfection of the very plans they have
finally conceived.
cal is rot, the worst sort of rot,
pointed office seeker has brain SO con.
eSiPoeSN 40 W OtCSu suStl du hCSuSallou
Rev. DR.. Ward, of Yankton, one of the
most level-headed and patriotic men IL
the territory, and prime mover in
statehood. stated good reason why
state government is needed the othel
day. He said:
I'VE have no school fund now, and on,
schools are only kept up by din,
of great enterprise and ambition anc
/ ln in,- =.
school lands, yet we cannot sell them un
til We have state government. One
eighteenth OF all the land 10 the terri
tory is school land, and there are alse
twenty-five sections for a. state univer
sity. This aloue is enough to cause III
to work for statehood"
THE COOLIDGE AFFAIR.