Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-11-23
CLIFFORD AND MELLETTE.

and an Extra Session at Congress-
f. A. Csrle, editor of the st. Paal
Pionees-Press telegraphs the following
from Indianapolis to his paper. under
date of the 21st:
Both the Dakotas had hearing be.
fore ihe president-elect to-day. Dele
gate Clifford came here on his way to
Washington and met Gov. Mellette, who
came down from Muncle for the purpose.
They spent the day together discussing
matters of common interest and preach
ing the eyangel Of the two Dskotas to
whomsover would listen. Gov. Mellette
returns to Watertown tonight by way
of ST. Paul and Mr.. Clifford goes on to
Washington to morrow. They called
on Gen Harrison little before noon
and had an interview with him lasting
over an hour. Gov. Mellette had pre-
sented the case Of sonth Dakota SO
fully at last Saturdays meeting that
little remained to be said upon that head
His arguments to-day was manly ad-
dressed to the general advisability of an
extra session. He urged the familiar
argument that under the present system
OF electing members of congress year
| in advance OF the meeting OF congress
the issues OF the electoral campaign lose
their freshness in the public mind before
the opportunity arrives to legislate be-
fore them. He made special applica-
tion of it to the leading issues Of the
last campaign.
He pointed ont that the members.
elect Of the fifty first congress are now
fresh from the people and better fitted
to deal with the problems which sgitate
the public mind than they will be next
December. He thought this true of the
main Issue of the last oampaign--the
questlon--and particularly true Of the
question OF admitting new states, to
which the party WAS committed by the
platform and pledgee, aud upon which it
could never be more ready TO act har-
moniouRly and effectively than now,
when the memory OF those pledges were
recent and the enthueissm OF the osm-
paign WAS still warm. Mr., Clifford, who
had served with Gen. Harrison IN the
forty-ninth congress and became ae-
quainted with him through their COM
mon efforts for the admission OF Dakota
argument for statehood. He addre esec
: tas, describing their growth IN wealth
q
lization within the last two years. HI
pointed out that their title to admission
was much more clear than in 1886, when
Harrison labored 30 earnestly so secure
! it for the southern half. He declared that
North Dakota had now advanced fer be.
yond the point South Dakota had then
: reached, snd that the southern section
had grown in proportion. III one was
entitled to admission then both were
much more entitled to 1t now, end the
hearty support Gen, Harrison had given
them as senator had led them to ex.
pect his earnest and friendly sympathy
and all material aid it was proper for him
to give as president IN their efforts to at
tain to statehood now.
Mr.. G ford told' the presidenf-elect
plainly thae the admission of Dakota was
! to the peop'e of the northwest the most
|, important question OF the in coming ad-
mlnistratioD. That 1t wes more TO them
. than the tariff or any other possible
issue, and that his probable action with
reference to 1t was subject or great in.
J terest and concern up there. He Edwell
!. upon the patience which the pakotas
had waited for their rights, referred
! BRIT fly TO the injustice OF keeping such g
popuious and highly developed c6mmu
! nifty in state OF disfrsnehisement and
subiest to the federal power, and point.
,, ed out the corelative injustice OF taxing
II the # tderal treasury in part for the sup
port of community abundantly ablt
, J, and willing to support themselves HI
; gave especial attention to north Dakott
, in his argument, and said that section
had made great advances since the tim,
I when Harrison's service in the senat,
made him familiar with the details OF th,
CASE, He touched upon the .claims' o
the other territories, .and pointed Gu
that they had all been practically COZ.
! ceded. He said bills for the admission
!: OF ell of them we're pending in one hous
Tor the other. Gen. Harrison Hstene,
with great attention. asking frequen
! questions, and showing an anxious de
y sire for information upon al! points, Ses
: pecially thoee which had arisensipce hi
9 former close familiarity with the subject
, He impressed both gentlemen with hi
= friendly interest in the fate of the Dt
:. kotas and his Willingness TO take a
proper measures to bring about the re
lief they desired, Mr.. Clifford did nc
"a make an elaborate argument Tor an ez
ira session. though he earnestly insiste
upon it's desirabiiity. IL! wa
lei clear that no definite expression was
e be elieised from Gen. Harrison upo
"a this point. Both gentlem On came aws
a we'll satisfied as to the disposition of tt
president-elect, but Convinced that
does not at this time regard the calling.
executive session as o problem snbie
N for unsupported executive ;ac ion. III
a q ferd whose congressional sexperien
!: makes him aware OF the diffiulties to
= surmountad in securing an extra ssssic
re- believes that the presidens-eleet vi
wait for some intimstion from membe
elect to eongress that an9 extra ssessi,
~ would be agreeable to them before NAL
in9 up his mind to call one. The q,
81 mission OF new states is probably a le
w islative question, aud it wonld be b
natural for the executive to leave &
Legislative branch to take the; initiati
in action lcoking in that direction.
: there were TO be a general expressi,
among prominent senators and repr
rn septatIvea OF desire tosnneet in Mar
II to take up the question of the admisel
ne Of new states; undoubtedly the preside
ha will take prompt measures TO crafty
~ On the other hand, il the sentiment
acI congress shonld be against an extra Sc
na. sion, Is would be quite useless to expt
sry the president 30 call them together, 9
nd il ia an entire waste OF time to urge b
md Ito make up bis mind as to the son