The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-09-04
TERRITORIAL NEWS
Dakota's Coming Statehood.

zion for the Territory of Dakota.
Mr.. Dnalap replied: "In spite
Of hone deferred we are conscious
that every day brings ii nearer.
Tie census, lust taken, shows a popu-
lation af about lis, Go0, Of which the
counties holding d constitutional con
yention next month have 260, 900,
and North Dakota enough more for a
second state. The duties OF the Sioux
Falls convention, called to meet Sept.
8, as defined by law, are plain. Tire
law says that the convention shall
draft a constitution and provide for
an election by the people of South
Dakota, at which election the consti-
tuition shall be submitted to the pco
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
islature when elected. South Dakota
does not propose to set up an indie
pendent government of herown. 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 a
whole and Of division on the Missouri
river, who are very active, will throw
all their strength againstit. The peo-
pie of south Dakota generally want
division on the forty-sixth parallel,
usingthat term as a familiar geograph-
ical definition. The line Of division
east of the Mi5souriri river should CORE
spond 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 IT Is REGARDED IN THE NORTH.
SIN North Dakota there is very lit
tie said about the convention, which
would imply aequiescence andnot hos
tility. Thinking men in that section
realize that division is as much In
their interest as it is in that Of South
Dakota. Indeed, the strength, the
characteristic backbone you might
say-of the separate statehood prin-
oiple is found in the fact that there is
nothing sectional about division as a.
proposition. The development ofboth
sections is last multiplying the differ
ent local interests Of. each, which will
demand more and more the fostering
cnre of wise and intelligent legislation.
Goodgovernment for South and North
Dakota isthe guarantee that division
may be said to offer, and | believe
this view of the question-which has
not always beenproperly put, orright-
ly understood, either-is the one to
commend itself to a citizen ofDakota,
irrespective of sections upon a little
reflection
"There ought not to be any objec-
ton to electing state officers beforethe
state is admitted"
s'The situation of Dakota demands
something more than a feeble protest
against being kept, out of the Union.
1t does not Justify her people in over
stepping the bounds of law, or OF an
tagonizing in any way the federal au-
thority. Nor is there any danger Of
her people doing that. But it does
call for decisive action, III taking the
1 steps preliminary to the formation of
the state. The time has come for Da-
kotans to- insist as far as they can
within the LAT. upon what are the ma
tural rights of Dakota in respect Of
division and admission, The provis-
ional state government is as much In
order at this time as the constitution.
Neither do the officers so elected have
any powers to act, nor does the writ
ten instrument possess the Vitality Of
q state charter.
SHOULD ACCEPT THE CONSTITUTION.
at is of equal importance, however,
that the people of the proposed state
should adopt a constitution OF their
L.own, leaving congress to set b MAJ
chinery of the state in motion, if it
pleases. Whether the admission OF
Dakota would legalize the Sioux Falls
constitution and election of officers
would depend on congress. The prob
abilities are that congress would pre-
fer to have the work done over again,
as providedin the enabling actpassed.
In that event, however, the constitu-
ton framed at Sioux Fails and the
provisional state officers afterward
elected would have served ar excellent
purpose without the former having
become law or the provisional
officers having been permitted
TO exercise any of the func-
tions of Office; and there is a chance
for admission. 1t would be strange if