St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-26
although it will add to the Hveliness and in
terest of the session.
The Missouri Diridp.

The scheme to divide Dakota on the Mis-
souri, river is not a new one, and for reasons
familiar to most Dakotaus, has never received
much favor. The impression is, however,
now growing that, as the Democracy is likely
to be in control of the popular branch Of
congress, and probably the administration
| for many years, a north and south line Of
division will be most likely to meet favor at
| Washington. There are serious objections
TO following the line of the river as it would
make the states awkward and irregular in
shape. The more recent plan is to take the
| l01st meridian, as the line. This runs lit
tie west of Bismarck, and generally leaves
that river to the east. 1t is thought that the
Democrats would consent to this division, as
the state east would probably be Republican.
| When one should come in from the west
eight or ten years later, it would ALMOST GER
tainly be Democratic, like the mining and
stock regions of Montana. The state ready
for admission east would resemble Minnesota
in shape and be but little larger ,s,will be
remembered that in that state there was in
its early history struggle for division. A
present newspaper man in the state, then
in the legislature. relates that he was
| offered $1,000 for his vote in
favor of division, but although
poor, he was like the profess
sion generally, incorruptible. 1t is
not known that there is now in Minnesota
| any regret that the territory was not divided
before admission. The reasons for division
then were similar to those now urged in Da-
kota, perhaps with the exception Of less
scanty population in the north. The Fian-
dreau Enterprise, one of the leading and
aDlest journals in the south, is among those
that advocate the division of Dakota on the
| north and south line suggested. In a care
full article, referring to the proposed state, it
says:
1t would contain nearly all of the territory
that Is adapted to farming without irrigation.
The interests OF the entire population would
rest upon agriculture and be of the same
general character. West Of that meridian
the chief interests would be the mines ana
grazing on the plains plan. The east half Of
Dakota is allied in every interest with the
farming states east of us. The west half
naturally belongs to the great central belt of
grazing and mining states aud territories.
The dissensions between North and South Da-
kota are purely artificial in their character
and would soon pass away under state gov
crnment Three lines of railroads, each of
them now partially constructed, will soon
Join the northern and southern portions,
making intercommunication easy. The
eastern half contains population Of not less
than 400, 900 at the presen time. Such
division as the one proposed would neither
suit Bismarck nor Pierre, but we imagine
very large majority of the farmers in Dakota,
both north and south. would be better served
to have it divided in that way than on the
forty-sixth parallel
The Diana Monitor says that parties at that
place saved cents a bushel on their wheat
in shipping it to Milwaukee, rather than sell
ing to local buyers.