The Dickinson press., 1885-01-24

the question TO such careful consideration as
the legislature may give II, satisfied thar the
conclusions arrived at will be wise and pru-
dent
THE MILITIA
In this connection I wish to call the atten-
zion OF the legislature to the militia law of
the territory, which require amendment to
make them effective and thoroughly practi-
cable. The laws require the adjutant gen.
eral to perform various duties, to keep ex-
tens1ve records n forward certain returns
to Washington. He is the only person in any
way authorized to act as the custodian Of
arms and accouterments. and this authority
Is limited, and it is to be gained byinference
rather than by direct grant. 1t is notnec-
essary, in my judgment. to devise any elabor-
ate plan for militia organization or to incur
any considerable expense in maintenance of
military companies, but we cannot ask the
adjutant general to contribute of his private
means, as well as of his time, to carry out the
requirements of the law. 1 therefore recon-
n msna that nf b there cf,i BE- %s = nd% aHau for the T sx.
seems to cover the necessary expense for
storing and caring for arms and accouter-
ments. procuring and keeping the necessary
records and blanks. paying freight on arms
and munitions and for such other expense
office. There are several boxes Of
arms at Sioux Falls, sent to the
adjutant general by my predecessor, and
for which the former had to secure
storage. He finally succeeded in securing q
room in the penitentiary which was not i'm
mediately required for prison purposts, where
they remained for the time being. For sew
eral reasons it is not q proper place to keep
them, even if the room were not needed for
prison purposes. which it soon will be. I
also recommend that a small sum be appro-
nr10fpH for I1nyfNrp,c on1 INV tho rcrtol re
armories for each of the various volunteer
companies regularly mustered into the ter
ritorial militia. Even If this appropriation
be but a fraction of the expense incurred by
such companies, it will be a recognition, and
will relieve them in some degree from what
is now a considerable burden. 1t should be re-
membered that under the law every able
bodied citizen of the territory between the
ages of eighteen and forty-tive is required to
be enrolled in the militia and that all such
persons are subject to call in care the vol
unteer companies are insufficient to meet an
emergency. Organized and active militia,
therefore, are not only convenient in case Of
trouble, but they save other citizens from tie
annoyance of the demand upon their time
and services, and are a protection to those
with disturbances.
The law also provides for an annual brig
ade muster and encampment of oil the vol
unteer militia OF the territory, continu-
Ing not less than two nor more than four
days. Unless some provision be made
Tor the transportation and subsistence ofsuch
companies 1t is obvious that the law must re-
main unexecuted. l leave the question of
what should be done under these clrcum-
stances to the discretion of the legislature.
There are six companies in the territory that
have been mustered into the service for two
years There are several more organized,
one or two of which are uniformed and
equipped. Il others are awaiting arms
and muster. The arms at present in use by
our militia were secured by my predecessor
from the war department, he going, as
understand, his personal bond for their safe
keeping and return when demanded. l ask
tie legislature to authorize the governor, in
We name of the territory, to apply for such
arms and any others which it may be neces-
saIy to secure, requiring him in turn to take
good and sufficient bono from each CON-
pany to whom such arms may be issued
QUESTION OF ADMISSION AND DIVISION.
Isuggest that steps should be taken by the
present legislature to acquaint congress,
through q memorial or otherwise, with the
mission and division. The members of this
general assembly are fresh from the people.
Nothing except the individual expression OF
the people themselves ut the polls could be
so reliably indicative of their sentiments and
desires as the public expression of their
chosen representatives. The very wide
attention which the subject Of admission
and division is attracting, and the fact that
1t has been deemed of sufficient importance
for comment in the message of the governor
OF our neighboring state. Minnesota, who
alludes with great klndnesst to the merits and
desires of the people of Dakota, induces me
to refer at some length to the question in
this communication. The territory, either
as a whole or divided, is populous enough
even il the maximum OF population hitherto
ror11ira1 10 dion, o,,Ho1 f,r tbo foyp,o%ioo ~ q
state government or governments. o.
course, if presidents are to be ignored anc
new conditions applied to Dakota, we may
not only be unable to get into the Union now
but may remain out Indefinitely. But 1 be,
1ieve that, with a full knowledge of our pop.
ulation, resources and development, con.
gress will at least afford the terri
tory an opportunity of joining the
sisterhood of states. Whether an Offer
of this character, which contemplated admis.
the people, is not for me to declare. 1 dc
declare this, however, that it is more import
ant that territories should be divided as theil
people desire. than that their boundaries
should be fixed by strangers, who are liable
to misunderstood their necessities. But
nothing could he more entirely conclusive as
to their desires than an opportunity to vote
upon the question of admission in any form
that congress may submit it Whether they
accept Oh reject the proposition, the oppor-
tunity to do the one or the other should be
afforded them. 1t is easier to decline ar
honor than to endure wrong. There were
S6,7O3 votes cast in the territory in the re.
cent election. There are $50 counties, but
only seventy-eight were organized in time c
hold an election in November. That the
number OF persons possessing the qualilca.
ton of voters aggregate 100, 900 in the
whole territory, Will be disputed by no one
think, familiar with the facts. That those
voters are not transient persons is evidenced
first by the fact that nine months residence
is required under our laws as a qualification
of suffrage; and by the further fact that the
returns made under the law by school OIL.
GERS to the superintendent of public instruc.
ton show that in the sixty-five counties Out
Of the elghty-fve organized (all that have
furnished census %rcturns) there were on the
LIST day of June, 1854, 77.499 children OF
ence of the family proclaims the absence
of the adventurer. The assessed value oil
property for the year 1884 is over SS4. OOO,-
600, and the receipts of the treasurers OF
school corporations alone amounts to ovel
$1,SOO,OOO The total expenditure of the
whole territory for educational purposes, be
ginning April, 1883, and ending June 80
1884, were nearly So 900, 600. l might
make comparisons which would exhibit the
territory in a most favorable light beside
many old and well settled states, but thii
need not be done. The one fact that SO large
q sum was expended for common school.
dispels the notion that the population of this
territory is in any manner fictitious, or thai
the country is not peopled by honest voters
who abide in honest homes.
That there were illegal votes cast here and
there i'll the territory is very likely, but
though party lines were not drawn to any
extent in ch~oosinglocal officers, nearly every
count and district passed through an excit
ing contest where the qualifications of voters
were as closely scrutinized as in the Older
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