New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-21

LET IN DAKOTA.

1t Is not likely tDdt OOHSltSS "HINH Twins
TO the inacton of its House, has not succeeded
in doing anything in nearly four months, VIII
find time, in the few months that remain, to pass
any more States into the Union. But there Is
no political reason at least, why the Democrats
in Congress should stand in the way OF Dakota,
for fear the new State would 90 Republican in
the coming Presidential election. The bill for
admission has been so framed that it will not
take place until after the Presidential election
1t throws aside all the informal proceedings
taken by the people of Southern Dakota in hold
ing Constitutional Convention on their own
motion. and requires them to follow the estab-
lished routine. This avoids the renewal of past
local differences, and leaves the whole question
on its merits.
On those, the new State can certainly claim
place in the Union. The Committees plan is
that which has been approved by the sentiment
of Dakota for years back-to divide the Terri
tory on the forty sixth parallel of latitude
making the lower part the State of Dakota and
the upper part the Territory of Lincoln, name
selected by the Committee in preference to
Pembina, Mendan, Garfield, Jefferson, Ogalalla
Franklin and Hdosta. The preference for
Lincoln was unanimous, and wise one. The
new State would be about one and -one-half
times the size of New York, and indeed would be
the eighth State in area in the Union, much larger
than any State east of the Mississippi 1t
is a splendid and fertile empire-this Territory
of Dakota. Only Texas exceeds it in the area
of cuItivable land, and its wheat fields are
growing at a rate which makes the census
taker feel that he is writing ancient history
even before he has put his figures down. The
census of 1880 put the entire population of the
Territory at 1917. The Senate Committee,
in reporting the bill, expressed the belief that
the present population is $4,000, and pre-
dicted that by the time Southern Dakota is
ready to enter the Union under this bill, her
population will entitle her to two members of
Congress- This is certainly not an extravagant
estimate when we observe the remarkable in
crease of homestead entries and of pOst-oilices
in the Territory since the census was taken. Up
to 1850, the Committee states the total number
of homestead entries had been 29,704; by the
end of 1888 they had increased to 77,S0O-an
increase of 4S,096, or more than $50 per cent.
In the four years ending with the first of last
January, the number of post offices had more
than doubled The Territory has more post
offices than Massachusetts or South Carolina.
On the estimate that two-thirds of the total
population of 100000 is south of the forty
sixth parallel, the population in the proposed
new State will considerably exceed the represent
alive unit under the last appOrtionment law.
But even if this were not so, it would not neces
sarily be a final objection to the admission Of
Dakota that it had not the population emitting
it to member of Congress. OF the twenty
States that have passed through the territorial
condition only four had, by the census taken be-
fore their admission to the Union, population
equal to the representative unit. Dakota,
however, will have much more than that unit,
and when the prospects and wealth of tho young
State are considered with the enterprise and
thrift of its people, it seems that Congress ought
to open the door promptly. Let Dakota in.