The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-09-11
TERRITORIAL NEWS.
Dakota,s Coming Statehood.

ion for the Territory of Dakota.
,Ir. Dunlap replied: "In spite
ii hope deferred we are conscious
hat every day brings it nearer.
The census, just taken, shows a popu-
alton af about 415, 900, of which the
counties holding a constitutional con-
next month have 100000,
md North Dakota enough more for a
state. The duties OF the Sioux
convention, called to meet Sept.
8, as defined by law, are plain. The
law says that the convention shall
draft q constitution and provide for
an election by the people of South
Dakota, at which election the consti-
tuition shall be submitted to the PEG.
pie for ratification, and at which cleo
ton the state officers, member OF con
gress, members of the legislature, and
all other officers provided for in the
constitution shall be elected. Thecon-
vention is given the further power to
provide for the assembling of the leg
tslature when elected. South Dakota
does not propose to set up an indie
pendent government OF her own. 1t is
Simply intended to erect a provisional
government, whose officers may be
recognized as the accredited represen-
tatives of the proposed state on
presenting the constitution adopted
by the people to congress. A good
constitution, such as there is every
reason to believe the Sioux Falls con-
vention will frame, will be accepted by
the people beyond a question. There
will be some opposition. The advo-
Gates OF the admission OF Dakota as q
whole and OF division on the Missouri
river, who are very active, will throw
all their strength a%gainstit. The peo-
pie of south Dakota generally want
division on the forty-sixth parallel,
using that term as a familiargeograph-
ical definition. The line OF division
east of the Missouririver should CORE
sponE with the county boundary line
between the lower tier of North Da-
kota counties and the upper tier OF
South Dakota counties, so as not to
disturb existing county boundaries.
This distinction should be made in
the constitution as an act of justice
to the people OF the counties inter
ested.
HOW II is REGARDED IN THE NoRTH.
'F1n North Dakota there is very lit
tle~said about the convenient, which
woaid imply acquiescence and not hos
tility. Thinking men in that section
realize that division is ats much il
their interest as it is in THAT Of Soutl
Dakota. Indeed, the strength, TIL
characteristic backbone you nigh
say-of the separate statehood prin
ciple is found in the fact that there i
nothing sectional about division as
proposition. The development ofbotl
sections is last multiplying the differ
ent local interests of each, which vii
demand more and more the fosterin
cnre OF wise and intelligentllegislatior
Geodgovernment forSouth and Mort
Dakota isthe guarantee that dlvisio
may be said to offer, and | believ
this view of the question--which ha
not always beenproperly put, orrigh'
ly understood, either-is the one t
commend itself to q citizen 'ofDakotf
irrespective of section, upon a lit
reflection"
"'There ought not to be any obie
tion to electing state officsJrs beforetl
state is admitted"
1.-The situation of Dakota demand
, something more than a feeble prote
against being kept out OF the Unto
1t does not justify her people i'll owe
stepping the bounds OF law. or OF a
tagonizing in any way tlse federal a
thority. Nor is there amy danger
her people doing that. But it do
, call for decisive action, hi taking Il
! steps preliminary to the formation
thesstate. The time has come for d
kotans to insist as far as they cs
within the law upon what are the n
tural rights of Dakota IN respect
division and admission. The prov:
order at this time as the eonstitutio
n Neither do the officers SO elected ha
: any powers to act, nor does the WI
ten instrument possess the vitality
a state charter.
q SHOULD ACCEPT THE CONSTITUTION.
3 ait rs of equal Importance, howevt
d that the people OF the proposedssta
e should adopt a constitutional thu
h own, aeaving. congress to set The n
chinery OF the state in motion, If
'e pleases. Whether the admission
,ne Dakotawyould ~legalize the Sioux ia
;. constitution and election of office
J. would depend on congress. TGeiDrC
h abilities are that congress wouldp
fer to have the work done over aga
ID as proyidadin the enablingaetpasst
In that event, however. the c@hstit
10 ton framed at Sioux Falls and t
IL $. - rEn{1 "a, a., L - 1,,.,-
3 elected would have served an ezeelle
% purpose without the former saavi
IN become low or the provision
j. officers having been perrfaitt
to exercise any of the flu
Of lions Of Office; ,and there is q csEal
N for admission. Ut would be strange
there We're s40t in the case OF Dakot
)" There is a hetter,ehance, however, 1
n securing divfsio into two territor1
If this couldb be effected as a comp
ae mise, the DeRsoerats STIMULATING til
n no state shall he admitted out of
e present TerritorYofDakota until af,
- the next presidential election-exce
re- in the remote contingency of their /,
IN ing control of the h0Rlse-the Sio
es Falls convention woHla have acco
~ N1slleu eliouSil w aetoSiy u iIldJplI
of the people of both sections. L
division Of Dakota into two terri,
iies, with an increase of Che judicia
he now imperatively demanded, would
a happy compromise, and mightples
~ both sections-each of which
lis ready for statehood-more than
admission of South Dakota alon,
ID Mr.. Dunlap stated that the Quito
r for immigration was excellent. d
=, ing the summer there had been a +
"a increase OF population in the ney
- sections OF the territory where COVE
IS. ment land was to be had, and t
fall, following the great crop OF t
ir- year, and the wide publication of
Ie- census figures of population, wea
r. and character OF population, with $
a tistics showing the rapidimprovem,