St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-12
The Question of The Ho,,r

counties, perhaps seventy-fve miles each
side of the 46th PARALLEL there is a strong
feeling in favor of admission as a whole
The Ipswich Gazette, in Edmunds, says: We
hear some talk of sending delegation to
Washington to work for admission of the
territory as a whole. This is a good scheme.
and we hope it will result in something more
than talk. Congress does not know that
there is anyone in this territory who favors
this measure, and if it knew that the major
ity of our people favored it our territorial
government would be of short duration. Let
each county send one delegate. The move
ment would probably be confined to central
Dakota, as it would be difficult to get the
north and south extremes to agitate it, al
| though the great mass of the people are ia
vorably disposed. Let the good work go on.
Somebody start it,
In lengthy argument on the subject the
same paper further says: Now is the time to
put In our work for admission. We believe
that congress is ready to admit us as one
state, and all that is necessary is for US to
| present our claims and show our strength.
There is no question but that 1t is to the
| advantage of this territory to be admitted as
one state. That the taxes would be lighter
| is a foregone conclusion. That any proposed
| legislation in the interest of the state could
be more successfully backed by eight or ten
| congressman than by four or five, is equally
evident The only thing to be gained by di-
| vision is two q. S. senators. and we have be-
| fore stated that it is difficult TO show
| why 500, 900 people are entitled to four sena-
| tors. There are in the United States thirty
eight states with total population Of over
| $4,000, 600, or over 1900, 600 to each State
These advocates of division tell us that
| there is contention and hard feeling between
north and south Dakota. To be sure the re-.
moval of the capital from Yankton to Bis
| marck has caused little temporary jealousy
| between those cities, and is anyone surprised
| that 1t shouldl But let DH.-Sta be divided on
| the forty-sixth parallel, and we will guaran-
tee that this feeling Is tame and insipid COM
| pared with the jealousy that will spring up
| between the east and west of south Dakota.
The Rapids City Republican says that eighty
per cent of the people in the Black
1 Hills are in favor of admission as a whole,
and among other points says: Dakotas
area is large, double that of majority of the
| states, but it is not as large as that of Cali
| fornia by 5000 square mile or that of Texas
| by 116, 600 square miles. TwO-ifths of its
area is west of the Missouri river, and, aside
| from the large Indian reservations therein
| located, is so much broken geographically
that it will never be but sparsey inhabited.
The same natural causes will prevent the set
| Element of several thousand square miles of
area in the northwestern corner of the ter
ritory, north and east of the Missouri river.
| In fact, one-third of the territory is suitable
only for stock grazing, and this alone pre-
cludes large population. The political adj
vantages to be gained by division are but
nominal, even if we accept the reasoning of
the ultra pro-diVisionists, and is as nothing
when compared with the power welded by q
great state backed up by population, wealth
and illimitable natural resources.
The Canton AdU0cate is not very hopeful of
the result of the labors of its townsman,
Judge Clifford, at Washington. 1t says:
But division and admission is not all that is
absolutely essential for Dakota's interests,
the opening Of the reservations being
dominant issue. Just as soon as the Sioux
reservation, containing IL, 900, 600 acres of
aud, is thrown open for settlement, two
great lines of railways will take up the line of
march for the Black Hills. Our population
and wealth will be increased one-thrd, and
another niche in the era Of development will
have been carved. There may possibly be
some objections to this, as it will tend to
strengthen in valuation and population what
is termed by one southern Democratic jour
nal ''too id Republican" for comfort.
There is much for our congressman to do,
but in the face of circumstances, with
| Democratic congress standing menacing over
us, too much may easily be expected. Ex-
| pect nothing, and thank God for what is re-
| ceived.
| The Glendale Lender finds encouragement
in the situation for one state. 1t says: 'sThe
admission of Dakota as a state, without diyis-
ion, appears to be gaining favor The di-
vision scheme is the ne plus ultra of the pol
ticians, but as the people begin to express
themselves it is evident that one grand and
powerful state, as our great domain would
soon prove to be, is far preferable to two
small ones, even though it would give US
two more senators. With the Democrats
still in power in congress it is extremely
doubtful whether division can be secured,
but our admission as a whole, at the same
time with Democratic Montana, need not be-
unlocked for, and the event might be has
tened did the so CALLED leaders stop their cry
OF division or nothing. With fair degree
OF harmony among the residents OF the ter
ritOry and the willingness to take what We
can get, there would probably be but little b
any difficulty in being admitted as whole.