Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-10-03
DAILY posT.INTELlIeENcER
sogTn DAKOTA.


The constitutional eonvsriion OF
south Dakota. held q, sioox Falls, hss
eouplstsd It's lsbors and sdionrned.
The constitution sdop.sd provides for
an eIection Of state ofHcers in Soven
bey, bat thoss elected viii not attempt
70 exercise their povers until Congress
shall give them power 10 do 10. The
ueopge Of tie Territory xiil appeal for
admission after having st ~ all the
machinery for q state government.
Congress will simply bs asked 10 pali
the lever and se; the Wheels in motion
II the demand be refused. the peopse
vill be subiscs 20 two governments
one Of a Territorial form which wiii
actually govern. and State govern
nent which they viii acknowledge
under thsir breath. There will be no
eossict between the two; one will b.
real and the other ideal; one purely
practical and the other sentimental
II Ii 70 be hopsd. however, that the
sounsry will not have 10 witness sach
an anomaly. There IL growing feel
ing 10 favor OF the admission OF South
Dakota, and IL Congress Ii at all amen
able 10 public sentiment, IL vfil have 10
Yield and allow the Dsw state 10 enter
the Union. The people are fast reaiiz-
ing the msnstrous ipiustise OF keeping
Dakota In a Territorial condition, and
newspapers Of all shades Of political
opinion are urging Congress TO act 10
the matter. The only objection offered
10 the admission Of the Territory IL
that h you'd certainly be a Republican
State, and wonid increase the Repubii-
can strength in the Senate and House
Of Representatives The legislator who
would allow sueh consideration 10 in |
nuAnse his vote, however, would be IN
worthy Of his sfioe. He would be plac-
ing the interests Of his party before the
interests Of his country and before the
dsnands of Justice. BY the time be
rstasusd 10 his constituents for re-elec-
ton be would be convinced of the truth /
Of Charles Samner's words, I" Nothing
n safer than Justice nothing Is settled
that Ia NOT right"
Il seems fatsd that Dakota shall be
divided and that the two States shall
enter the Union az North Dakota and |
south Dakota. This 10 TO be regretted. |
The division Of the Territory is all |
right, II the people desire it; but the
proposed names are execrable. Dakota
II q pretty word, bat with North or
south sffixed 10 II, II becomes fat and
oommonplaoe. The Indian languages
furnish 20 many beautiful names, and
there are 80 many characters and events
10 our history deserving Of commemo-
ration, that II 10 o pity to burden two
young States with such mongrel names.
u would be much better II South Ds-
kota should enter the Union as Dakota,
and some new name should be bestowed
upon the Northern section. Huron,
which has been suggested as proper
name, Ia a beautiful word. as IL also
Iroqnois. Lincoln would be a fitting
name fer State, and Lafayette would
not be bad enc. However, North
Dakota" and South Dakota" seem to
Be written down in the geography of
fate.
The people of Washington Territory
have peculiar interest In the admission
Of South Dakota. Our Territory is
often mentioned in connection with IL
a. liable TO be admitted a, the same
time, and even If this should not be
done, its admission would leave Wash
ineton the most populous of the Terri
tories and one step nearer the door OF
the flniou