Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-11-05
The following comparison of crops in
1880 and 1885 shows the growth of the

Speaking of the south Dakota CON
vention Governor Pierce says that IN
due time the constitution adopted will
be presented to congress. For it he
bespeaKs kindly hearing. He believes
it well considered document, well ad-
apted to the people of south Dakota.
That section he says, is large enough to
make state containing $4,000 square
miles; larger than New YORK, Pennsyl-
vania, OHIO, all New England, or any of
the states save Texas, California, Min
nesota. Oregon, Kansas, Nevada, Ne
braska, and Colorado. Governor Pierce
says it the 146,C0O people of Delaware,
the $4,000 OF New Hampshire, or 1884,
0U0 OF Vermont were to remove in body
to Dakota, 1t would not seem fair to de-
privo them OF all lot or part in the man
agement OF public affairs. But what is
the difference between this
and the Acknowledgement of the
same number of persons from all the
states and many others who go to make
up the population of Dakota? Dakota's
disqualification does not come from lack
OF numbers, from lack OF property. from
lack of educational advantages, nor be-
cause the laws of the territory are at war
with republican government or offensive
to an enlightened christian sentiment,
What then Is our disqualification It
cannot be considered that suffrage is to
be considered privilege of longitude or
latitude, and yet wherein does The terri
tory show any lack except geographi-
cal short coming? The ordinances of
1887 provided thai terIitorie should be
admitted as states when the population
reached 10000, and might be admitted
with less, and although Dakota is not a
part of the northwest territory therein
described, yet congress has ap-
piled Its wise and patriotic
provisions to the region after
ward acquired. We have seven times
the population required by the ordln-
ance OF 1877 as necessary to admission.
We have 1000 schools and half.dozen
higher institutions Of learning. We
have permanent aud costly structures
erected for benevolent end penal pur-
| poses, and all built by the territory
without aid OF the general government.
! 1t is the policy of the nation to encour-
age the settlement of the public domain.
| Generous laws have been enacted and
Inducements given to open this wide
| region to civilization. l submit that
ment in granting free homes ought not
| to be defeated by an illiberal exclusion
of those privileges of self-governmept
which to many others grow dearer when
they are denied. But If for aLy reason
the admission of Dakota as two separ.
ate commonwealths or as whole should
be postponed the advisability of some
action on the part of con
gress for the further protection of the
people Is apparent. The organic Law
is mads up of various and fraRmentar,
acts of congress passed of varions times
and not adequate to the necessities OF {
populons territory with great property
interests. 1t would be regarded as un
wise to conduct the affairs of stat,
with only the safeguards afforded by 81
incomplete an instrument. There is M
limit to taxation, to expenditures, tt
the debts which may be contracted
Territorial or municipal. The legisla
ture is at perfect liberty to pass specia
laws on almost every subject, and ther
IS constant temptation to do it. L,
another respect the territory needs tn
protection of congress agelnst wha
, may result in great financial dlscredi
if not loss. The recent exposure O
enormous frauds in the issue of schoo
, warrants or bonds in Indiana call
attention to the fact that similar fraud
might be perpetrated in this terri
tory and the people be withou
redress or remedy. School bond
are limited in Dakota, but warrant
may be issued indefinitely, a
there ls no sufficient penalty for th
| abuse of the power. This may seem t
be local matter to be provided for b
local legislation, but it must be remen
bered that fourteen months intervene t
! the next meeting of the territorial Iegis
+ lature. Ii o law were passed By cor
. gress making it q felony to Issue schoe
warrants while Sl,500 OF such warrant
were outstanding, and that no warrant
should be issued except for debt, b,