The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-10-02
from the puhlic treasury

never consented to, are being sought to be nSched
from the public treasury.
RIGHT TO FORM A STATE GOVERNMENT.
Ihe ordinance OF 17S7 and the treaty OF
france, by which the territory of Louisiana was
coded TO the United States, each contain irrevo-
cable guarantees TO the people OF this territory
or the right to form a state government for
themselves and to be admitted into the Union
as soon as their population and resources are
SUFFICIENT for self-goyernment. The ordinance
OF 1875 has been extended by congressional
enactment over Dakota in four successive ses-
ston3. The rights guaranteed by that ordi-
nance are matters of compact, which
compact is stipulated in the ordinance
10 be forever trrevocable without the consent OF
the people OF the territory. The ablest lawyers
and jurist of the country have united in declar-
ing that the people are parties to those COM
pacts, and OF right entitled to act upon them
and demand their fulhllment. In addition to
THESE compactS the constitution OF the United
states, as Judicially interpreted by the supreme
court, which Interpretation has never been re-
Voked or questioned by any subsequent court,
has guaranteed TO the people OF this territory, as
TO all territories, the absolute right of s~elf-gov-
eminent and statehood whenever their con-
ditions as TO their population, their area,
ana their resources are sufficient TO enable
them TO govern themselves. These are consti-
tutional and legal rights which congress has no
rightfui power to set aside, and can only disre-
gard, MS Senator Harrison said upon the floor OF
the senate last winter, by brute force"
UNITED STATES APPROPRIATIONS
II has been the custom for congress to appro-
DtIaUe TOT 2 new state upon ADMISSION 0UO,OOO
acres of public lands for internal improvements,
70 sections OF land for the maintenance
OF a state university, 90 sections for
the endowment and maintenance Of
for building and maintaining a penitentiary,
and all the salt springs In n state not to exceed
twelve sections. In addition to these donations
1T has been the custom Of congress as a compen-
satiCn TO a new state for the exemption of the
United States lands and property from taxation
TO grant to each of them 8 per cent of the gross
proceeds OF all the sales OF public lands made
within the state from the time of its organiza-
tion as q territory. This sum for the State OF
Dakota Will amount TO, as we are informed by
Hon, IL IT,. Pettigrew, from whom we have gath
cred these facts as above stated, the sum OF
$1,000, 900, being one-twentieth of the sum of
$50, 900, 600, the amount of such sales ND
to this time. II Dakota should be
admitted as a whole, these donations ard grants
would be the same for the whole as il the two
states were separately admitted. Therefore il
is easy to see that by the division the people of
the new state viii gain twica the value III these
grants as they would II admitted as a whole.
OF TAXES.
The school lands which will belong TO the new
State Of Dakota will be. IN round numbers,
about Q, 700,00) acres, valued at $27, 0O0, 900.
or these the constitution provides that not
fnore than one-third shall be sold in the
first i've years, which will amount TO
9O0.O00 acres. Estimated st the minimum
value of 80 per acre, the total sum realized
from the sale OF these lands Will be $4,000, 600.
This sum will bear interest at not less than 6
PER cent. Six per cent on this sum gives q total
revenue of S540,00O. Beside this reverae, the
lands thus sold arc immediately subjectto taxa
ton, and the revenue oh aimed from thege lands
in the way OF taxes, at 2 mills on the dollar,
amounts to SO, 300. Thus, the total revenue b.
tanned for school purposes for the people by
statehood will be $4,000. As the school taxes
have amounted to about one-half of all the
taxes, and as this revenue Will enable the legis-
laturc TO reduce the schooltaXes to almost moth
ing, it Is easy to see that Your taxes will be re-
duced almost one-half by o state government.
ADVANTAGE OF ADMISSION AND STATEHOOD.
We summarize for you. in q short recapitula-
ton, the advantages which You will derive by
adopting this constitution and forming a state
government; Ql Low taxation: ~ ecolomy in
appropriations and expenditures by the legisla-
ture; l3l checks on county and municipal
Indebtedness: l4l lower salaries for your state
officers than YOU are paying the corresponding
territorial officers: % the protection of your
school land and funds; 90 the receipt OF reve-
nue. from the school lands and the diminishing
Of your school taxes; (l checks on the power of
corporations to influence legislation and TO dis
crirninate unjustly rain tindividuals or places;
~ the opening of the Indian reservations and the
settlement of those large tracts Of country,
which now separate Eastern from Western
Dakota; 90 the advance of railroads across
these reservations and the increase of immigra-
tion: 10 the bringing of your state govern
ment closer to the people and making 1t more
responsible to them; I'D advance in all values
of property and an increase and stability OF
state. municipal and individual credit: tl2l
independent aud complete self-government Q3l
escape from the enormous taxation that will be
necessary To complete the territorial capitol at
Bismarck. All OF which is respectively sub
mitted by order of the convention.
HUGH j.. CAMPBELL,
w. w. BROOKINGS.
FRANK GAULY.
THE0DORE ID. KAN0JSE,
SAMUEL MILLER,
Committee.