Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-16

BOWEN & KINGsBURY, Prop'ts.
The election, by the legislature of the
state of Dakota, of Judge Moody and
Judge Edgerton as United States sena-
tors, and the defeat of Hugh j. Camp
bell for the place given to Judge Edger-
ton, becomes the subject OF public an
nouncement as having occurred at HUI
ron, December Is, 1885. The gentlemen
chosen are among Dakota's leading citi-
zens and represent respectively the
agricultural and mineral sections of the
proposed state.
The defeat OF General Campbell was
not the defeat OF an individual. 1t was
the defeat of what is termed the radical
element of Dakota's progresslveness-
the element which was in earnest in its
endeavors to build a state, and with the
support of the people would have Sc
cured admission under the Sioux Falls
constitution.
Glancing at the situation as it existed
prior to the senatorial election we find
as the prominent elements in the state
hood movement the radical faction, I'M
der the lead of General Campbell,
the conservative faction, under
the lead of Judge Edgerton,
the hall-and-halfs, under nobody's lead
and the combined sentiment of the
three divisions favorable to the election
of Judge Moody. His success in the
senatorial contest has been assured
from the beginning and his election is q
compliment worthily bestowed upon one
of Dakota's oldest and ablest citizens.
The policy of the element so ably rep
resented by the well known views oI
General Campbell was to fully organize
for the administrationof the affairs of the
south half of Dakota as q state, using foi
this organization the officials, state, lu
dicial and legislative, chosen at the No
vember election. 70 then hold this or
ganization as an inactive body until tn,
close of the present session of congress
Should the congressional session termi
nate without granting to south Dakott
It's statehood rights, the plan of the SO
called radicals was to institute thei
state government under the ordinanc,
of 1877 and subsequent congressiona
enactments and proceed under thos,
sufficient guarantees to govern
themselves. The physical power
of tho national govern
ment to coerce them into territorial sub
lection was not lost sight OF in this ar
rangement and the exercise of sucl
power would have been boldly invoked
Not with any intention of physical re
sistance, but for the purpose of giving
the national government an opportunit,
to settle this question in decisive man
ner, if it dared assume the responsibility,
of an open violation of sacred compac
entered into by the fathers of the reppb
lie. This was the courageous intent o
the radicals, who contemplated it onl,
) as last resort, after every other mean
|
bears evidence that we have asked ant
even begged for admission and that WI
have from time to time presented indis
Iputable evidence that south Dakota wa
possessed of all the requirements o
statehood. To these appeals the ma
tional ear has been deaf. AS final re
sort, the plan of the radicals was givel
shape and it was the desire of that ele
ment to test its efficacy.
The conservative element within
the legislature and outside o
that body was favorable to a continued
pursuit of the old policy of requesting
congress to permit us to become state
and if congress declined to accede to the
request to subside and put up with th
territorial form or government indefni
tely.
The half and halls had no settled pol
icy. They liked the looks of the pla
of the radicals, were disposed to favo
it and thought it just and entirely with
in the limits of constitutions
prerogatives. They were lacking
however, in coufage-would rather g
home and submit anew to the imposition
of the past than place themselye
upon the bold platform of the radical
These are the three elements of whic
8 the legislature of Dakota is composed
BY the election of Judge Edgerson {
: United States senator majority of tht
legislature commits itself and the woal
be state to the conservative policy.
accomplishing this it sounds the deaf
knell of statehood for south Dakota an
opens wide the door for admission as
whole. 1t destroys the prestige game
by the adoption and ratification of
constitution and the election of a sta
government. 1t declares that the CO.
stitution is not constitution and th
the state government is not state go
ernment. The question will natcral
arise among the people, why have v
i taken upon ourselves the lab,
and expense of executing the prelim
naries to condition of statehood
our representatives at their first meetir
are to declare our acts null and voiC
), That is q question the people had be
ter PROFOUND to their representative