Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-09-30

scheme to bind south Da-
kota forever in the chains OF the North
ern Pacific Railroad company, and com
NIT her people forever to the burdens of
taxation, which legislature, sitting in
north Dakota, will impose, and to the
payment of taxes for the completion of
that monument OF extravagance and cor
ruption. the capitol building at Bis
marck.
We eremind the people here, of the fact
lately disclosed in the litigation, at
Bismarck, in which the people OF
Dakota were defended by their
attorney general, against monstrous
scheme to swindle the people ,on the part
OF the late capital commission. II ap-
pears by the facts elected during this
litigation, that over $4,000 of warrants
we're issued upon orders of the capital
commission, by the late auditor Of the
territory. MIR. Ordwsy, and that these
warrants are now being presented to
the territorial treasurer for payment.
Thus sum of 1000, which the legis-
lature never voted, and the people
never consented to, are being sought to
be filched from the public treasury.
GUARANTEES OF oUR RIGHT TO FORM
STATE GOVERNMENT.
The ordinance of 1887, and the treaty
with France, by which Louisiana was
coded to the United States, contain ire
vocable guarantees to the people of this
territory, of the right to form state
government for themselves, and be ad-
mitted into the union, as soon as their
population and resources are sufficient
for self government. The ordinance of
1857 has been extended by congressional
enactment over Dakota by four success
slve statutes. The rights guaranteed by
that ordinance are matters of compact,
which compact is stipulated IN the or
dinance to be forever irrevocable, with
out the consent of the people of the ter
rltory. The ablest lawyers and jurists
OF the country have united IN declaring
that the people OF this territory are par
ties to these compacte, and of right en-
titled to act upon them and demand
thslr fulillment. In addition to these
compacts, the constitution of the United
States, as Judicially interpreted by the
supreme court. which Interpretation has
never been reversed by any subsequent
court, has guaranteed to the people of
the territory, as of all territories. the
absolute right of self government and
statehood, whenever their condition.
their population, their area and their re-
| soUices are sufficient to enable them to
govern themselves.
These are constitutional and legal
| rights which congress has no lawful
power to set aside, and can only disre-
gard, as Senator Harrison stated upon
| the hoor OF the senate last winter, by
brute force.
| UNITED STATES sAPPRoPRIATIoNs FOR PUB
Lie INSTITUTIONS AND INTERNAL M
PRoVEMENTs FOB NEW STATE.
1t has been the custom of congress to
appropriate Tor new state, upon admis-
alon. 5Oo. QUO acres of the public lands
for internal improvements; also seventy
sections of land for the maintenance of
state university; ninety sections of
land for the endowment and mainte-
nance of an agricultural college: ffty
sections of land for the building and
| maintenance of q penltentiary; and all
the salt springs in the state not exceed
ing twelve sections. In addition to
these donations it has been the custom
OF congress, as compensation to the
new state Tor an exemption of the Unit
ed States lands and property from taxa.
ton, to grant each of them five per cent
OF the gross proceeds of all the sales of
public land made within the limits of
the state, from the time of its oreaniza.
tion as territory.
This sum for the state of Dakota will
amount to, as We are informed by the
Hon. X. f. Pettigrew, from whom we
have gathered these facts above stated.
the sum of 81, 100000, being one twen.
tieth of the $50, 100000, the amount of
the said sales up to this time.
fDakota should be admitted as whole
these donations snd grants except the
last named would only be as much Tor
the whole as for either of the two states
separately. Therefore, it is easy to see
that by division the people of the new
state Will gain twice the value in these
grants which they would gain if admit
| ted as whole.
| DIMINUTIoN OF TAXES TO BE OBTAINED By
STATEHOOD.
The school lands which will belong to
| the new state of Dakota will be in round
numbers about 2,7O0,0CO acres and val
ued at $4,000. 600. OF these the con.
stitution provides, that no more than
one third shall be sold in the first five
Years, which will amount to 100000
acres. Estimated at the minimum value
OF $40 per acre. the total sum realized
by the sale of this land will be 50 9,OOO, 900.
This sum will bear interest at not less
than six per cent. Six per cent on the
! sum gives total revenue of $4,000.
Besides this revenue the lands thus sold
are Immediately subject to taxation, and
the revenue obtained from these lands
In the way of taxes at two mills on a
dollar amounts to $4,000. Thus the
tota! revenue Immediately obtained for
school purposes for the people by state
hood will be $4,000.
As the school taxes have amounted to
about one half of all taxes, and as this
| revenue will enable the legislature to
reduce the school taxes to almost
nothing, it is easy to see that your
taxes will be reduced almost one half by
state government.
ADVANTAGES OF ADMISSION AND STATE.
| HOOD.
| We summarize for you, in short re-
caritulation, the advantages which you
will derive by adopting this constitu-
ton and forming state government.
l. Low taxation.
2. Economy in appropriations and
expenditures by the legislature.
8. Checks on county and municipal
Indebtedness.
4. Lower salaries for your state of.
ncers than you are paying the CORES
ponding territorial officers.
0. The protection of your school land
and funds.
6. TIE receipt of revenue from the
school lands, and the diminishing OF
yonr school taxes.
z. Checks on the power of corpora.
tons to influence legislation and to dis