Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1884-12-04
The Admission of Dakota.
Minneapolis Tribune.

| There are some principles so firmly es-
tablished by usage as to have become in
/ tegral portions of our national constitution
although not specifically embodied in the
written text. One of those principles is
the right of Stateship. The territorial
condition is transient one. AS soon as a
territory has people enough fairly to en-
| title it to a representative in Congress, and
has shown itself capable of self-govern-
ment it is its right to demand and receive
| the privileges of a sovereign and equal
State. 1t is the duty of Congress to admit
such territory with as little delay as posi-
BILE. To make 2 party question of it is a
crime. Wilfully 70 exclude half million
of American citizens in Dakota from any
voice in determining who shall be the
President is no less an outrage than the
disfranchisement of southern Republicans
by shotgun intimidation.
The ordinance of 1877 provided that
when any Of the States carved out of the
Northwest Territory should have sixty
thousand inhabitants, it should have a
right to admission into the Union, "On an
equal footing with the original States, in
all respects whatsoever" Dakota is part
of the Louisiana purchase. In the treaty
of 1903 by which France ceded to the
United States its vast demain west of the
Mississippi, is the following sentence
The inhabitantants of the ceded territory
shall be incorporated in the Union of the
United States and admitted as soon as
possible, according to the principles of the
Federal Constitution, to the enjoyment of
all the rights, advantages and immunities
of citizens of the United States" Under
this clause Arkansas and other territories
which have since become States, claimed
their right to admission.
These citations are not given to prove
the existence of legal, technical right,
but merely to show evidence of the general
right as a long-recOgnized principle of our
political system. Congress has no more
right to keep Dakota out of the Union
permanently than it has to put Massachu-
SettS out.
This very obvious truth has become per-
tinent and timely in view of the fact that
another Democratic Congress has been
elected. The Forty-ninth Congress will
not expire until March, 1887 There is not
much probability that it will admit Da-
kota, either whole or divided. The pres
ent Congress kept Dakota out in order to
deprive the Republicans of its electoral
vote and of its delegations in both houses
of Congress. There will be more reason
than ever for desiring to exclude Republi-
cans from the Senate and Dakota may ex-
pect to stay out in the cold until an honest
and decent party RECEIVERS control of the
Government in all its branches.
By that time curious spectacle will be
presented. A great commonwealth, with
population rapidly approaching million,
and ranking above many old States in
wealth and importance, with absolutely
the smallest percentage of llliteracy of any
political community in the world, with
magnificent railroad systems, fouTishing
cities, growing colleges, excellent laws, and
full-fedged municipal institutions-wil
have no voice in Congress, and no part in
the choice of a President, but will be in
helpless subsection to a Congress in which
the balance of power is to be exercised by
the representatives. of such mOnstroSities
of violence, ignorance, and misgovernment
as Mississippi, Albania, South Carolina,
Louisiana and Arkansas.
Dakota has to-day more than half mil
lion people. It's population is double that
of Florida, nearly ten times that of Nevada,
almost twice that of New Hampshire, three
times that Of Oregon, double that of Rhode
Island, nearly double that of Vermont
more than three times that of Delaware,
about equal to tha, # Nebraska, and about
twice that of the Centennial State" of
Colorado. Within two years it will have
overtaken and surpassed in population the
States of Connecticut, Maine, and West
Virginia. Within five years it will have
surpassed several more. 1t is a shocking
outrage to keep this lusty young giant in
condition of 'tutelage" any longer.
The division of Dakota is now generally
admitted to be inevitable, if not in all re-
spects desirable; but either half has al
ready an abundance of reason for demand
ing admission. The two Dakotas, and
Washington Territory as well, are entitled,
by every principle Of justice and by the
wholestheory and practice of our institu-
tions, to the dignity and privileges of State
hood.