Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-09-26


the members Of whose election ] had
been officially notified OF the organ
lied counties in the southern part-the
proposed state-I have official notice
that no delegates were elected from
Douglas, Day, Davidson and Moody
counties, and have received no report Of
an election from Fall River county"
what will the convention do ?"
ut will show for one thing that the
statement that southern Dakota is op-
posed TO division is not true. The
population Of the counties from which
representatives were called is over 253,-
600, more than any territory has had
when admitted to statehood. I am
aware that the reliability Of the recent
census has been questioned, but am
satisfied that it is very nearly correct.
Reckoning the proportion Of the vote to
the population as shown by the federal
census Of 1880 had estimated the pre-
sent population by the last vote, and
came within 500 of what the census af-
terwards showed to be the population.
Gen. w. IL. III, Beadle, superintendent
of schools, made an estimate about the
same time, based on the school enumer-
alton, and his figures were within 900
Of what the census gave. The $4,000
farms in the proposed state is further
proof that the census is not padded. AS
to the statement that the people Of
southern Dakota are not fit for citizens
of a state, that libel is best answered, if
worth an answer, by a showing Of the
number Of schools, newspapers, post
Offices, churches, and every other evil
dence Of intelligence, enterprise and
prosperity. and by the small amount of
criminal business in the courts Nor is
the statement that the proposed state
is too poor for statehood true. There
are not as many wealthy people in Da-
kota as in older communities, and on
the other hand there is much smaller
proportion of very poor people, in short,
property is more evenly distributed
than in older communities In wealth as
we'll as intelligence, the 263,00O people
in the proposee state will compare
favorably with any equal number in any
other section of the union Besides,
Dakota is far from done growing yet
The argument that Nevada has been
poorly able TO carry the weight of state
hood has no application for Dakota, for
Nevada Was founded on mines, that in
many cases have cea> cd to be worked,
while Dakota is founded on farms large
lv, even in the Black Hills counties the
farming interest rapidly outstripping
the mining interest. There can be no
retrogression in Dakota rs in Nevada" !"
But will any showing of fitness, and
the adoption Of good constitution,
avail to secure division and admission?
1T should, and if it does not the re-
sponsibiiity will not be with Dakota
There is a settled purpose not to accept
admission without division. can not
say what the constitution adopted will
be like. The disposition Of the former
convention was to take what was best in
the newer constitutions of the different
states. As to the chance for statehood
the leading papers east are taking up
the cause Of Dakota In justice TO all
the northwestern states as well as to
Dakota, division should be insisted on,
and there is much to hope from their
agitation Of this MATES. No party can
afford to ignore the claims of Dakota 10
| statehood"