New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-03
ANOTHER STATE PROPOSED.

1t ia now proposed that the Indian Territory
shall be admitted IA State. It's Indian in
habitants. the advocates of this measure urge,
are thrifty, peaceful industrious, abundanty
able to govern themselves, and greatly in need
Of the established government and fixed laws
which a State organization would secure. As
matters stand, it is not credtable to the country
that the provision for the punishment OF crime
or for the protection of life and property IN the
Indian Territory is shamefully inadequate.
With self-governmcnt, directed by their most
intelligent men, and prompted by their own
self-interest, the Indian inhabitants, it is urged
would preserve better order and uphold the
laws more efficiently than some other commune
ties which have long enjoyed the blessings and
the training of freedom.
There is some reason to believe that this is
true. 1t may be doubted very much whether
the Indians, even in their most savage state,
would perpetratc such OutrageS as have
blackened the history of some of the Southern
States. Certainly, in the state of civilization to
which they have attained, the Indians would
be most unlikely to set up in the Territory
more abomnable despOtsm, for example,
than that by which Mr.. Lamar and his friends
now hold the State of Mississippi. 1t is not to
be expected that they would show in the Indian
Territory such contempt for the Government
which clothes them with civil rights, or such
disregard of the civil laws, "a has been shown
for years by some of the white people in
Louisiana and South Carolina. The lesson
might be indefinitely extended broadly speak
ing, the Indians of the Territory could un-
doubtedly be trusted to uphold free govern
ment at least as well as those who now control
a number of the States in the Union. But that
is not quite the question We have i'll the
Union already States enough that pretend TO
have free government, but do in fact uphold OF
tolerate government of the shotgun. The peO-
pie of Utah, without doubt, would rejoice to be
admitted to the franchises Of State government,
and the despOtisn. of the Mormon Church would
not be more cruel, INSCRIPTIONS or bloody, and
would not pay less regard to the wishes of the
people, than the sort of government that
exists in some of the Southern States.
Seriously speaking, the admission of any
other community whatever to the rights and
powers of Statehood is not to be thought of, so
long as the intelligent, industrious and ener-
getic people of Dakota are denied hearing.
There can be no question that Dakota has more
than enough inhabitants TO be entitled to a
Representative in Congress. BY far the greater
number of inhabitants are men already trained
in the duties of self government, who have gone
to that Territory from older States. Most OF
them are citizens who have been content to lay
aside for a time the rights Of suffrage which
they enjoyed in order to build up for the Union
on new territory strong, intelligent and pros
porous State They have done their part well.
Their number is increasing with great rapidity.
But their application to the last Democratic
House was treated with contempt, not un-
naturally because most of them took to Tho
Territory Republican principles.
1t will not be worth while to discuss the adj
| mission of other States while such a community
rs Dakota remains deprived of a share IN the
! Government. There are many reasons for be-
lieving that a share of National power could be
more safely intrusted to the Indians of the
Territory than to the people who havo mad q
the South solid " by driving from the poll:
nearly million colored citizens But there il
no occasion to admit any other new States
whose fitness for all the duties OF sclf-gOycrn-
ment can be questioned. Tne Nation has quite
enough to do to defend its laws in some Of tho
States which now claim a share i'll the law
making power.