Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-02-12
thereby drivingout the producer and
causing his fertile fields to lie idle.
Where do they expect to get the source
Of their profits il they follow this course ?
DAkorA's olvIsiuN.
sensible Reasoning In Behalf Of Two Ter
ritOrjes.

ritories.
Chicago Inter-Ocean.
1t is NOT disputed that there are those
at Washington among the visiting Da-
kSta delegations and those at home in
both sections of the territory who would
look with favor upon tie creation of one
grand state. The Inter Ocean has no
doubt. however, having been at pains to
keep informed as to the true feeling and
opinion of all the people of Dakota,
north and south, that fully ninety per
cent. OF the total population of Dakota
would vote for division of the terrific
ry-paving the wav for separate state
hood for each section when the time
comes-were the question to be fairly
submitted at the pulls. It is not admis.
sion 30 much as division that Dakota
needs just now to push the future devel.
opment of both sections of the territory.
It is natural that the people of Da.
kota generally should desire division.
There Is sound reason in this desire, with
out reference to politics OF to local strlfes.
States containing too great an amount
Of territory are undesirable. The wishes
and needs of people so widely separated
must differ, and the same legislation
would not please. No Texas is wanted
in the northwest.
When Dakota territory was organized,
twenty three years ago, its area COM
priscd 35O.OO0 square miles, embracing
all Of the present territory Of Montana
aud the eastern slope Of Idaho. Before
the admission of Minnesota in 1858 all
that portion of Dakota lying east of the
Missouri river was included in the terrl-
tory Of Minnesota.
The boundaries of Dakota have been
changed from time to time upon the map
as successive steps of civilization have
been taken. TIE remarkable develop.
meDt of Dakota territory, az ut present
defined 10 extent, during the past three
years has made another change expedient
and suggests the next step to be taken
in the great march OF civilization which
has nowhere on American soil wrought
greater wonders than IN the settlement
of the Dakota northwest.
The division of Dakota is change OF
political boundaries that will promote
the best interest of each section of the
present territory iu like degree. II
was apparent that the time for division
for separate government, bad arrived
wheu the legislature at its last session in
Yankton made the necessary
appropriations for duplicate penal
CT aritable, aud educational ins,itu
tioDs to be located in til.
north half of the territory. 1t was proper
legislation, aud no better evidence Of tht
propriety and the economy of division
of area aud OF forces could be afforded
than the existing necessity for it at sucl
au early stage OF the growth Of countr
yet in it's territorial teens.
The opponents Of division, particular
ly those who judge Dakota at distaDc
and who have no real sympathy with th
Dakota boom. have invariably coutend
ed that in the case OF Dakota the con
ceded objections to the creation of sepa
rate states within the union destined t,
become empires uf themselves did no
exist, for the reason that very large por
tlol Of the surface OF Dakota was no
capable of production and the supper
Of any considerable population.
The failacy of such reasoning is estab
lished by the logic of events aud by th,
truth of history. At the time of Dako
ta's first organization the plains O
southern Dakota, which are now include
III the corn belt of the west, we're as ari,
aud desolate waste as the bad lands u
the Sioux reservation are to-day. Ac
cording to the testimony OF such authori
ties as General w. II. H. Beadle an
General Cortez Fessendep, the forme
and the present United States Surveyo
General for Dakota, the public domai
yet to be taken up in Dakota. includin
q considerable portion of the propose
ceded district OF the Indian reservation
is far more inviting to the settler tha
the real pioneer of Dakota found tb
Sioux valley which has long since pasl
ed the experimental stage.
In north Dakota the line of settlemer
and the path of development crossed th
Missouri river. westward bound, wit
the Northern Pacific railroad. At th
extreme western limits of south Dakot
the development sf the marvellous Z,
sources of the Black Hills, rich in gol
aud silver aud in coal and timber, hs
been commenced under great disadvar
tage With the opening of the reserv,
tion there will be race between tw
great lines of railway to the Hills th.
will carry with it q flood-tide OF imm
grafton.
The assessed values and the whe,
crop OF north Dakota and south Dakot
respectively, show beyond all questio
that each section-each territory-h,
already advanced far enough to stan
alone. The official figures OF Treasnr,
McVay show the total assessed values
ali Dakota to be $60,l54.6U9, of whic
amount the COUNTIES north of the A6,
parallel furnish S37 0O6.Sl0, ani Il
!, counties south, S2,l47.769.
Mr.. j. II. Dodge, statisticiau OF the d
ipartment of agriculture, furnishes Il
Inter. Ocean with the folio wing figures
= the wheat crop for 1888: Total produc
: l6.l2S.0 600 bushels; total acreage. 1.O0s
:, AN: nrQnQrtion of crQn grown north