Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-01-20

There is tribalation in the mind OF
he Aberdeen r publican, a democratic
uewspap which hauuts misuo mer al
Is head. The Republican in its instincts
IS Ofdwayiau aud Boy oyntonlan and is
consequently not III accord with the
Sal N mOVemept towards statehood for
south Dakota. lis trouble is that
Mr. Owen ana General Campbell and
some others re iucllned to believe that
We are even uow state. This sort of
belief the Republican characterlzes
as revolutionary. The iuwardness of
the Il y lean hnds vent IN this spas.
modlc utterance:
But the leaders of the movement de-
slres to set the machinery of state gov
etment INTO mn, uiute operation ana
the conservatives are beiug gradually
couVer'ru 10 tbou way ui thinking
With these lNcts staring Tvs III the lace.
we cannot do otherwise than brand the
huron government as revolutionary.
! he CO.'S, vnt.ves ale coming around,
1t Is true Iley are realiz pg that half
way measures are proftless and are ex.
erciaing wise judgment in grasping the
issue as it is presented.
We are roI Via the Il publican Is
personifed in the flesh by
an ez-tt b-bDg ardon -conie d.
crate soldier. This is an element
OF which We aya Lelrd much in days
gone 10y, but they have heretofore been
very careful bou' attaching Cd dum to
anything of revolutionary nature.
They acquired their distinctive appeIla-
tion by revolutionary methods and
naturally feel some delIcacy about
broachiug so painful subj ct. And
vet the Republican brands the Huron
government as revolutionary body.
Under the rule Of its p.rtg revolution
has become the height of political re-
spectaoih,y ard those who have never
reheiled are made the objects of derision
As the Hugou.a7 revolution is uot of
a sanguinity type it eau never attain
the full respect oi the Aberdeen ssouter
Still, according to his logic, it ought iu
time to find place in his considera ton.
- ------.-----
In his annual report to the secretary
Of the interior, Governor Pierce places
on record one of the strongest argu-
ments in behalf of statehood, in the fol.
lowing paragraph:
The organic law is made up of various
and tragmentary acts of congress, passed
at different times, and not adequate to
the necessities Of populous territory
with property interests of great extent
and magnitude. This law constitutes
the constitution, and forms the only
fundamental barrier against the abuses
0t legislation and kindred evils. 1t
would be regarded as unwise if not dan
gerous to conduct the affairs Of any
state, however small, with only the safe
guards afforded by SO incomplete an in
strument.
The disadvantages of an attempt at
local government without the check of a
constitution are becoming more and
more apparent at each successive legis-.
lative session. Any extravaganza our
legislators choose to adopt is law and
experience has proven that they are
capable of almost any iniquity. None
o! the states of the union have made the
experiment of conducting business with
out constitution, and for this reason
many of them are slow to recognize the
wretched condition of this overgrown
territory. It is absolutely at the mercy
of designing combinations. Governor
Pierce recognizes this evil. It is q con.
dition which at the last legislative ses
sion compelled him to attach his sigma.
tnre to measure misappropriating q
hundred thousand dollars of the peoples
money at the dictation of gang of
legislative plunderers.