Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1885-06-11

aggregate to an epoch, the people of Da-
kota have been stlving with more or less
unanimity for division of the terrltory
on or about the 46th parallel. During
that period there has only been one time
when there was a probability of success,
and that was defeated by the attempted
reputation of railroad bonds by Yank
ton few years ago. The measure was
at that time favorab!y considered by con-
grcss, but senator Hale, whose constitu
ents were holders of those repudiated
bonds, put his foot down upon 1t, branded
the whole territory as particeps criminis
in the reputation scheme and came very
near proving it from the territorial legls-
lative record of the session Of 1881. The
whole territory was made to suffer in
name and fame because of Yank:on's at
tempt to repudiate bonded Indebtedness
which she had voluntarily assumed and
which, having passed into a judgment by
the United States court, she was then re-
sistlng.
the territory, and was just about as any
lous for q division Of the territory as Bis
marck Is now, IN fact there was luke
warmness on the question Of division all
through South Dakota, especially IN the
atmosphere of Yankton. 1t was not un
til the capital was removed to North Da-
kota that Yankton and South Dakota re-
ceived penteCOstial shower of the spirit
of division. By her attempted repudia-
ton of debt voluntarily assumed, and
her indifference and opposition, she de-
feated division at the only time since the
subject has been agltated that there was
any probability of success.
Division of the territory on the 46tfA
parallel or on the Missouri river is no
longer live question. The republican
party refused to lay the foundation for
two republican states when it had the pow
er to do 80 and 1t is not reasonably en-
pected that the democratic party will do
it now when 1t has the power to defeat it.
Public sentiment IS every day becoming
more thoroughly disguised with the poll
t,cians who are engineering the scheme
in their own personal interests, and the
sober thought of the masses of the peo-
pie who take an unselfish interest in the
question is steadily and rapidly gravi-
tating towards the conclusion that the
only practical solution is in the admission
of the whole territory as one state. and If
the issue was brought squarely before the
people we believe they would accept the
inevitable and very generally unite in
asking admission as single state.
by the immigration of the last three
years central Dakota has become power
IN the territory no longer tn be disregard
ed, and if disregarded she will make
herself heard. That large majority of
the people in that part of the territory
are opposed to division is well known,
fer the good and sufficient reason that it
would place them on the borders of the
territories and future states. Is it not the
part of prudence and wisdom to cease the
useless waste of time and energy In trying
to breathe ane Y the breath of life into
the corpse of division and give more
thought and attention to securing admls-
sion into the union on an equality with
other states? If we cannot obtain d.
vision let us accept the next best thing.