Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-12-05
STATE MAKING,

Washington correspondence, ID:
Friends of the northwestern territories
here do not fully understand the object
of the North Dakota convention called
to meet at Jamestow n Wednesday, but
they ali approve it IN general principles.
Amid all the divergence of opinion as to
methods and details there lie substan-
TALLY unanimous agreement that the
territorial cause must inevitably be cd
yanced by every form and variety OF
proper and legitimate agitation. II the
jamestown convention socomplishes
nothing more-and it may reasonably
aspire to achieve q great deal more-I
trust 1t will at least convince all persons
not deliberately self-fortified against
conviction that North Dakota is as sin
cerely and heartily in favor of division
and opposed to Springer's one state
scheme as South Dakota ever wae. /
find singular obtuseness on that point
among eastern members of congress-,
republicans aa vel! as democrats. They
recall the vote Of two years ago when
North Dakota gave o majority against
division and seem unwilling to be per-
suaded that the motives that indicated
that opposition have since been elimin
ated. i hope the Jamestown
tion will be sufficiently emrhatic and
unanimous upon this point to safety
every body that the two Dakotas stand
together In demanding separate exist.
ence as states. 1sa
The simple moral effect upon congress
and public opinion in the east of such o
deelarstory statement as 1t will be quail-
fled to make should be worth all the
trouble and cost of holding the cony
ton. Bot / take it the meeting will
have two more serious and permanent
objeets-to prepare North Dakota for
statehood, and to take such measures as
shall most effectively faeten the. atten-
tion of, congress and the administration
upon the subj ct of it's claims and hold
1t fixed there until they are recognized
by appropriate legislation. The best
means. to these ends | believe to be the
calling Of a constitutional convention at
the earliest possible moment, end the
immediate arrangement Of a programme
of JOINT action, agitation, petition and
pressure on the part OF all the territories
seeking admission at the hands OF oon-
grets. This judgment is the result OF
q general and careful CANVASS of the
opinion of the friends OF the territories
in Washington, and OF sclose study OF
the status of legislation upon this sub.
lect, the conditions existing in the terri.
tories themselves, and the attitude to-
wards them of the most Important per-
sonages having official relations in the
matter. Id f.rg4z.H,
This ls the situation here in briefest
outline. SpriDger's four-stats bill pend.
ing in the house the Platt bill to ad-
NIT south and organize north Dakota
passed by the senate and sent TO the
house; enabling acts for Washington,
Montana and North Dakota pending 10
the senate, with Washington ahead and
blocking the progress OF ell the rest on
account OF the Henseless wrangle over
Stewards panhandle Of Idaho annexa.
ton clause. The ouly one of these that
has o ghost OF o chance of becoming q
Law this winter is the four state bill,
with che Platt bill incorporated ts an
amendment. The chance OF this is
slender. depending largely upon the
the viRor, persistency and promise of
success of tie agitation for an extra
session OF the next congress. This may
POSSIBLY coerce the democrats into ac-
ton fhis winter.
This is the situation in the territories .
South Dakota has a constitution which
requires amendment by a popular vote
(sinee the Platt bill changes the name
and boundaries prescribed in the Sioux
Falls oonetitution) and state officers
whose terms have expired. She must
have another election before becoming
a state. North Dakota has nothing,
and should not lose q day in pro.
viding herself with the preliminary fur
niture OF statehood. She has to have
both a constitutional convention and an
Eelection. Montana and Washington
both have state constitutions. but one is
iour and the other. ten years old, and
neither would serve the present purpose.
There will haze to be constitutional
conventions ss we'll as elections in bott
territories, South Dakota, having 6
constitution, can afford to wait for on
aes of admission by congress before
holding her election. If the other three
wait for enabling acts before holdine
their constitutional conventions, HEAVIER
only knows when they will get in. A,
ives made clear in my letters from India
napolis, it may be till 1891 Oh later.
think they should cell Conventions anc
frame constitutions ct once and ask con
gress to approve them afterwards. Thi
is the ADVICE OF the three delegates an,
of the friends of the territories, her
generally. though there is some differ
ence Of opinion as to the exact time.
Dakota and Montana have legislativ
session this winter, and by waiting
month the conventions might be he'll
under the authority CT the legislator
and OF the public expense. II they or
called earlier private persons will hav
to bear the expense and trust to iegisla
tive ACCOMPLISHMENTS after wards. Their
are surely patriotic rich men enough i
both territories to do this if necessary
Delegate G ford believes in waiting fo
the Legislature. His plan, as oatlinedi
q letter to e. P. Wells OF Jamestown,
this: That the convention OF next Wed
nesdsy should declare emphatically /
favor OF division and admission as tw
states, ask for a constitutional copventio
and an election for stete officers and col
gressmeD; urge congress- to take promp
! action for the admission OF the stat,
then adjourn and await developments
The objection 20 this plan is that
3 would not qualify north Dakota Ia tin,
for admission ct this session OF congress
I but Mr.. Clifford does not believe ia tt
. possibility Of sach admission. Delegel
Toele OF Montana does. He is resolve
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