Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1888-11-23
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sent themselves ready for admission in
December. A peremptory act would COM
plete their status as states at once. set the
new government in operation and seat the
members-elect to the house. Before the
holiday recess was over the new legisla-
lures would have chosen their senators,
mess of the session was far advanced.
Thus four new states would participate in
the conduct of the new republican admin
istration almost from the very outset This
IS certainly cOnsumMatiOn worth striving
for. Putting aside the abstract question Of
munities, and looking at practical consider.
atlons alone, it means prompt and well
come addition to the slender republican
maJOrltles in both houses of congress on
the one side, and upon the other year of
political maturity gained for the great
northwest, nc and years earlier enjoyment
OF all the material advantages connected
with it, settlement of social status, stimulus
to emigration, revival of prosperity and
all the gain and growth reasonably ex-
pected in advance from tutelage and major
ity. There is scant doubt of the readiness
OF congress to act upon this question once
if it got together. There is no doubt of the
readiness of
THE PREs1DENT-ELECT
to forward the admission of all the terrific
ries ripe for statehood by all measures
consistent with his unassuming tempera-
ment and sense of propriety, nevertheless
the movement for an extra session for this
purpose has received little encouragement
so far from the highest quarter. Aside
from the natural disposition of the presi-
dent-elect to see the executive branch of
the new administration well under way be-
fore adding to its complicated burdens by
setting the legislative machinery at work,
ness to take any action which may look
like cutting out work for congress or inn
posing upon it legislative policy of his
own. His personal Identification with the
Dakota movement has been so close and
his personal interest in it so great that the
fear attributed to him that an attempt to
forward it as president--elect might be in
terpreted as the urging OF personal
policy. upon his party is intelligible.
Therefore 1t would we'll become the terri.
tories seeking admission to take the move-
ment for statehood out of his hands and to
make it their own; to take the movement
for an extra session out of the hands of
South Dakota alone, and make it com
bined movement on the part of all the
western territories; to
BROADEN THE DAKOTA QUESTION
into a territorial question, and urge it's
prompt solution upon the republican party
in congress as we'll as the executive. This
winter might we'll be devoted, in all the
northwestern territories ripe for statehood,
to persistent public agitation of the ques-
ton of an extra session, eliminating at
the proper time in concerted appeal, not
only to the president-elect, but to influen-
tial members-elect of the next congress,
not to permit next summer to pass without
recognition of the claims of these commu-
mites to a place in the union of states.
Joint action of this kind would give the
movement for an extra session breadth and
dignity. The declaration of joint con-
vention Of four territories would gain
hearing that single one would look for in
vain. Joint delegations from four commu-
mites appealing for statehood would
tion here and in Washington from the
president elect and his advisors, and from
the republicans who are going to be influ--
entail in the next congress, than commit
tee representing single territory. 1t the
territories of the northwest want imme-
diate statehood they would better ask for
it, and ask loudly and all together. There
is strength in concert.