St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-12

" oii0 VoiIIloiIdI eIaUIlng acG and Its
political code. different from any that pre-
walls In any of the states, and is an imposi-
ton and a fraud upon the people. At
present the territory is divided into twenty
three districts and each of the districts is
emitted to elect one member of the council
and TWO members of the house of represen-
tatlves, but the same ticket runs through
the whole district. It is the same constitI,-
ency Tor both bodies. The minority
Is not and cannot be represented.
and no Democrat can be elected except by
combination with DISCONTINUED or dishonest
Republicans. In the Twenty-first district.
Tor example. composed of the five frontier
counties, extending from the Red river
along the international boundary line dis
lance OF l65 miles, polling vote in Novem-
Der, 1854, OF 1910, and containing in June,
1888, population of 10, 955, the counties
or Iowner, Rolette and Bottineau, with
SAG people, have large proportion of
democrats, believed to constitute a majority.
but they are practically ostracised and over
slaughed by the strong Republican counties
OF Pembina and Carlisle, and thus debarred
from participation in the introduction and
making of laws for the people. In the
present council of Dakota there is not
single Democrat, while in the house there
are but two Zone from South Dakota, and
II the present system be perpetuated there
never can be any proper representation of
the minority. The fiiird article OF the pro-
posed constitution of South Dakota, on the
legislative department in all it's twenty
eight sections contains no provision. either
by
CUMULATIVE VOTING.
minority representation by population or
districts, for distinction between the up
per and lower branch of the legislature, as
10 their basis OF apportionment. The
numerical limit of membership of each
mouse, and the terms of service are defined,
out In the latter they are Identical, the same
as IN all the New England states except
connecticut. The clamOrerS for the admis-
sion OF South Dakota have adopted
constitution which, in the matter of the
legislative department, in view of the action
OF the past Legislatures of Dakota, would
justify its rejection by congress, because it
does not guarantee to the people
OF that would-be state re-
publican form of government.
and as by the constitution of the United
States such form Of government is to be
guaranteed. congress could and should send
these South Dakota statehood politicians
back to their homes to reform their so-called
duced in congress for the admission of Da-
kota in whole or in part, not one has incor-
porated in it any provision by which the
character Of its legislative bodies may be
distinguished in respect to the essential
element OF apportionment. The bill of the
Hon. William Springer has in it a provision
for the election Of delegates to constitu-
tional convention ON the principle of min
orlty representation such as prevails in
Illinois. That system, or even that Of New
York, with all its offensive gerrymandering
processes, is preferable to that unrepublican
form of government which the self-consti-
tuted officials of South Dakota have it in
their power and are prepared to foist upon
the people. The members of the house of
representatives OF the United States are
elected by and from constituencies
MANY TIMES SMALLER
than any Of the states represented by the
senate, except the states of Colorado, Del
aware, Nevada and Oregon, that have only
one each. Why not assure a guarantee of a
similar form of government to Dakota? In
1882 the Forty-seventh congress, with
Keifer in the speakers chair, Republican
senate and president, had the power to make
two states out of Dakota, but the senators
from the little 2X4 states of Maine and
Massachusetts would not listen to the sup
plications of the pleading politicians for
South Dakota statshood until the Yankton
county bonds, held by New England sharks
and shylocks. were paid, and denied them
admission on that account. Now let
the poisoned chalice be applied to
their lips once more, for these same
regulators of their honest debts and polti-
cal suppliants for admission are seeking to
perpetrate greater wrong upon the people
than mere reputation. They seek to rob
them of their rights in the matter of repre-
sentation in the creation Of laws for their
government, and of their administration.
1t is lawful to learn of our enemy, as the
old Roman poet puts it, and if the Demo-
cratic party be wise it will profit by the les
son taught in 1882. and the house of repre-
sentativeS and an honest and conscientious
president will consistently and should I'M
hesitatingly refuse and deny statehood to
tie, danger" let the people
''pluck the flower, safety" Admit Dakota
as whole or provide for its admission as
such, taking care not only that the rights of
the minority shall be protected in the
matter of delegates to frame constitution,
but also that the constitution when formed
shall not be inimical to the rights of the
people, but shall be republican in form and
their representatives in the lower house of
the legislature be made not only responsible
to them, but expressive of their wishes and
responsive to their impulses.
JOHN w. BENNETT.
Bottineau, OAK, June 1, 1886.
1t is told on Col. E. H. Gray, q large farmer