Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-30
The Division OF Dakota.

sion of the southern half OF Dakota
to the Union us a State last Congress
will never be removed: it will exist as
long us the intelligent, enterprising.
progressive West refuses to vote the
Democratic ticket. There is very lit
tie doubt that the vast area which
stands upon the map under t. Q name
Dakota would have been divided into
two territories if the question OF state
hood had not been involved, for the OBJ
iections to admission cannot be urged
by wen the Democrats against division
They will not consent to the creation
of another State as long as they have
the power to say no. for their expert
ence with Colorado, which was admit
ted under Democratic auspices. turned
out to be a delusion and a snare. and
deprived that party of the control Of
the United States Senate for an indefi-
mite length of time: but there is not
even d political objection against cut
ting the monstrous wheat farm of the
country in two. 4 delegate to the
House of Representatives has no vote,
and Territories do not send Senators to
Washington.
The reasons why y division should
be made are too many to enumerate.
The most of them are made manifest
by a single glance at the map. The in
terests of the Black Hills are us wide
ly different from the Grand Forks
country as are the interests OF Maine
from those of Louisiana. A delegate
in Congress can scarcely be expected
to familiarize himself with the wants
and needs of the entire section, for he
cannot get from portion OF his CON
stituents to another without travelling
through at least three States. The
same difficulty applies to members of
the Legislature, and the courts, as well
as to the Territorial officials, and it will
be years before it can be removed. The
shifting Of the capital from one corner
Of the settled area to another does not
help the matter, although the new To-
cation is very near the geographical
center. The citizens Of the northern
half have more to do with Iowa and
Nebraska than with each other, If the
capital OF Dakota were at Chicago it
would be nor convenient to the south
ern tier OF counties that to have it at
Bismarck, and the inconvenience will
increase as the population multiplies.
The time will come when four great,
wealthy States will be carved out of
the Territory, the lines being drawn
along the Missouri River and the forty
sixth parallel, but the railway facilities
are such that at present. and for wears
to come, a single dividing line will an
sWer all necessities. With the eXcep-
ton of Texas and Alaska, Dakota has
the largest area of any Of the States or
Territories. 1t is three times as large
as New York, and more than twenty as
large as Massachusetts. One Govern
ment Land District. Of which Huron
is the seat, is larger than New Jersey,
and we believe there is another land
district in the Territory nearly twice
the sire, The population is already
nearly 100000, and if the increase of
the past year OF two keeps up, at the
next census there will be a million peo-
pie within its boundaries. IT already
has a greater population than Colorado.
Delaware. Florida, Nevada, Oregon,
Rhode Island, or Vermont, and more
than any OF the States had at the time
OF their admission to the Union. The
constitutional convention that meets
at Huron this week will represent
more people than were ever represent
ed by a Territorial Assembly before,
with greater wealth and better pros
poets for the immediate as we'll as the
distant future than any of Dakcta's
predecessors have enjoyed Her culti-
waited area and her aggregate produc.
ton OF breadstutfs 0 surpass many
OF the States, and the actual amount
added to the wealth Of the country
each year by her citizens is larger than
the whole productive capacity Of some
OF the States that are represented in
the Senate and the House OF Represen-
tatives.
One could 90 9I Indefinitely giving
reasons to show tina the injustice Da-
kota has suffered should not longer he
inflicted upon her, and ii il easy to
grow eloquent in defense ct the broad
acres which are adding SO much to the
wealth and prosperity of the Nation
without a voice in it's government
And the opposition has not the slight
est excuse or argument beyond q sell
fish political policy Ocean.
The license bill which has passed the
lower house Of the Illinois legislature
and will unQuestionahly become the
law o1 that state fixes the whisky IL
cense at $500 and beer license at $3.50
The Till has been warmly opposed Nv a
strong party in thp Honor intarect ,nd