The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-03-22
DAKOTA AND LINCOLN.
The Prospective State of Southern Dakots
and Territory of Lincoln.

The Prospective State of Southern Dakota
and Territory of Lincoln.
WASHINGTON, March IA. = Senator
Harrison yesterday submitted his report
on the bill TO admit Southern Dakota
and provide for the organization OF the
Territory OF Lincoln. The report says
if Dakota is divided on the forty-sixth
parallel, as proposed by the bill, the
State OF Dakota would contain about
1900 square miles. The proposed
state would be the eighth state in area:
California. Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota,
Nevada, Oregon and Texas having a
larger area. The proposed state would
be twice as large as Indiana, 10000
square miles larger than Hli-
nois, $4,000 square miles larger
than Arkansas, 5000 square
miles larger than Missouri, and
more than 10000 square miles larger
than the six New England states COM
bined. The report continues: ''If the
present territory of Dakota is not di-
vided, but admitted as one state only
thr states of California and Texas would
exceed it III area. Indeed, if the area
OF cultivable land only is considered,
the state of Texas alone would rank be-
fore it. 1t would seem, then, that We
have within the limits of the proposed
state of Dakota remarkable area for a
populous aud prosperous state. The
report discusses the remarkable adapta-
tlon of Dakota to sustain alarge agricul-
tursl population, and its excellent rail-
road facilities for travel and commerce.
The committee assert their belief that
the general sentiment of the
people of Dakota is IN favor
of division. Large delegations of
leading men from both sections ap-
peared before the committee, and, with
out dissenting voice, urged division.
The representatives from the northern
part of the territory said they did Dot
care whether this division was brought
about by the admission of the southern
part as state or by constituting two
| territories, but division they insisted
upon as essential to the best interests of
all the people. Resolutions of both
political parties II favor of division were
given IN the report. Reference was
made to the fact that certain people
from Bismarck wanted the matter left to
the people or to vote Of constitution
v.
but the committee do not believe that
Congress should surrender its control
over this question, and express the be-
lief that the legislation proposed Is in
the line of the wishes of the people OF
the territory. II is their opinion that a
proposition to call constitutional con-
YeutlOn with the view of admitting the
whole territory as a state would be over
whelniDgly defeated by the people.
Tbs report says il would be unfair to
Judge the present population of the ter
ritory by the census OF 1880. The IN
tux Of population since that time has
been unprecedented. By that census
the whole territory had population of
135, III The total number of home
stead entries up to that time
was 2q,704. On the 31st day
of December ii was 1880, an
increase of 4S, ,096. There were January
l, 1884, 765 postofices IN the territory,
an increase since January /, 1880, of
452. There are over thirty national
banks in the territory and large num-
Der of private banks. There are 100
newspapers. It has outgrown its pres
ent form of government. It's judicial
system is inadequate. Two-thirds of
the population are located south of the
forty sixth parallel. The present popu-
lation of the territory numbers fully
$50, 600. The bill is SO framed that no
political considerations affecting the next
presidential election are involved, as the
state cannot be admitted until after the
election