Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-12-25

II CtllllDJ ne ucllltI IIlul IJilkblu l. very
anXious-perhaps over anNiou>-to he ad
mitted into the Union as Il State. With II
promptness and push quite Characteristic
of the boundless West her people have
made all their preparations for that no
table event in advance, and now stand
ready with 1t State constitution. legisla-
ture, senators, capital and all. prepared
enter upon their new privileges and re-
sponsibilitleS from the word go" The
Democratic journals of the country profess
to be greatly amused by this prev,ousnrs~,
but in reality they are very mucl con
Cerned about it. Ii Congress passes Sou
ator Harrison's bill TO admit the Terri
tory into the Union, the Senate will have
two more Republican members, absolute
ly assuring Republican majority
throughout Mr.. Cleveland's term of Office,
and one more Republican member would
be added to the House. Still more alarm
ing to the Democrats is the fact that in
lssS three Republican electors would be
added to the Electoral college. No won
der, then, that the influential organs of
the party in power are doing their very
best to prevent the admission of Dakota
as State. Ridcule, argument invective
Everything which can serve the purpose
of rousing public sentiment against the
"pretensions" of Dakota, is freely and I'M
scrupously INDUCED in.
The chances are, of course, that so long
as there is a Democratic majority in either
branch of Congress the bill to admit Da-
kota as Il State, will not become law
Partisan opposition will kill it, regardless
of the facts or the rights of the case.
If the question were put to the Demo
cratic press, why, aside from partisan OBJ
jeCtions, Dakota should not become Il
state, these journals would find some
difficulty in answering it. 1t is claimed
that the action of Dakota is sudden and
Revolutionary. The fact is that two
| years ago State constitution was framed
| and application made in due form to Con-
gress for admission as Il State. The re-
cent anticipatory organization under this
| constitution has nothing of the 'revolu-
tionary" character which many Demo
cratic journals attribute to it. If the leg
| islature and State officers elected should
undertake to usurp the powers of the ter
rtorial government that would be revolu-
tionary, but they have no intention of the
sort.
As to the actual claims of Dakota to adj
mission rs Il State. The territory claims
2GO, 600 inhabitants. This would be suili-
cient to make two Congressional districts,
and is enough to warrant the formation
of Il State. No new State has been adj
mitted for ten years past, The rapid in
crease of the population will necessitate
the admission of some of the territories at
| a Of laI Nal Ia,
the largest population and the greatest in
dustrial development of any Of the terri
tories with the exception of Utah, which
can not become a State so long as it is
ruled by Mormons. The claims of Dakota
are therefore in advance of those of any
other territory, and if she is kept ont OF
the Union it will be entirely for political
reasons, This seems to be the conclusion
of the whole matter, and we have yet tC
see it denied by any Democratic journal.