Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-06-19
Uht Essex County 9trala.
ISLAND POND, JUNE 10. 1885.
AN INELIGIBLE NEW STATE.

way of increasing the number of
States in the Union is to admit In
dian Territory as a State. The ad-
vocates of its admission claim that
the population of the Territory is
very peaoeable, industrious (Gl, law
abiding, and capable of self-govern-
ment, and that if it were allowed to
have the privileges of State it
would soon be one of the most -four
ishing communities in the whole
Southwest (?). Granting all this,
which is problematical to say the
least, even then the reasons urged
by its advocates for admission are
only sentimental and are not worth
consideration, especially in compari-
son with some very hard facts that
exist elsewhere.
In the first place, the population
of the Indian Territory is not suffic-
lent. 1t only amounts to about
$4,000, or one-third of Congress
sional ratio. 1t is composed of a
people who have received but slight
training in self-government, and
who have not even its traditions.
They have not come there from
civilized communities, but from
Southern Indian reservations. They
have not yet succeeded in enforcing
law or furnishing crime as a Terri
tory. How much more likely are
they to do it as a State? How much
more likely is self-government to
succeed when they are freed
from National control outside the
sphere of National duties In the
next place, if this proposition for
admission were closely scrutinized
it would be found that behind it there
is a fixed determination that the
unoccupied lands in that Territory
shall not be entered upon by white
settlers, but shall remain as now in
the possession of the cattle syndl'
Gates and bullock barons. With
fixed laws and the machinery of
State Government, freed from Ma
tional interference, it would b'
easier for the Indians and the cattle
rings to hold these lands and keel
farmers away who would develop
them than it is now. There woulC
be no appeal from the machine
which would be at once set up fo
land grabbing. When free govern
ment means simply free government
for Indians and spectators in cattl'
and the exclusion of farmers wh'
wish to make homes and cultivate
these broad lands which are nov
only used, contrary to law ant
treaty stipulations, by the syndl
Gates for grazing purposes, it is idl'
to talk about comforting it on Ter
ritory. The demand has no elemen
of justice, equity, or propriety.
From still another point of view
the admission of the Indian Terri
tory, with its handful of semi-sav
ages, unframed in free government
and unripe for it, and mostly still
speaking the aboriginal languages
would be an act Of fragrant injus
tice and transparent inconsistency
Session after session the people o
Dakota have been knocking at thu
doors of this Democratic Congress
for admission, and have been re
jected each time, even with insult
They number half a million, or eigh
times as many as the Territorial In
dams. They have built up alread.
a great and prosperous State. The.
have not had TO enter a training
school to learn the English tongu
or the elements and the duties o
government. Their yearly increas
of numbers exceeds the whole popu
lation of the Indian Territory. Eve1
splitting the Territory in halve
one.half can now fulfill every con
dition under which other State
have been admitted. Its peopl
may challenge the people of an
State in the Union for intelligence
education, enterprise, industry, ell
ergy, thrift, and progress toward
solid prosperity. Their Territory
great surprise in itself, containing
all the elements which 60 to max
up great and prosperous State
and yet these 100000 people hav
been insulted by Democratic Cor
gress every time they have aske
the right to enter the Union as
State. So long as Dakota, with it
half million of enterprising cit
zcns, is kept ont, it is arrant nor
-. ..,..u % +olL- &c tbo odn,;so;o