Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-09-22
The Hsnt Kennedy.

NlSuA Slby as more III
the division aud admission of Dakota
snan merely justice to the people OF Da-
kota; more than relief TO them from the
gieY.ous burdens and .ncumbrances
which thslr prolonged sublecsion to
condition OF provincial dependence i'm
poses; more tnan the granting to them
loi the right of home rule,
| right which has SO long and SO mex.
| cusably been denied on account of d
wrongful part!sanship. Ttese things
cal tor division and admission as they
have for years, and loudly do they spesk.
| Bat there Is more ia the Situation than
| these things-Vastly more.
| The day that Dakota is divided and
| sdmitted into the union as two states
/ a day that will dawn tne morning after
the election of Harrison and Morton
that day Will the nation have ass surance
OF the boon of emancipation iGom tne
sectional issue OF the soutl; that day
| nj be the beginning of Ine end OF the
| cleo ,rai tumIlt in the solid south.
AS long as the " ssipiilty remains of
| detet mining the control OF the national
government by tne cotabin .lon If the
| electoral vote of New York and another
doubtful northern state @itn those of
| the Roid south, SO Long viii there be q
tremendous temptation to maintain that
| combination by corrupt methods. This
| tenn pfRboE IS the one monstrous menace
to the free institutions OF this country,
1t g to.dsy tbe most powerful influence
% poison tie honesty, putty aud legi.
tlmacy of elections in the great city oil
New York. IL has a'7esdy been sufficient
to absolutely paralyzv the freedom OF
| elections j. the sold south. 1t tends to
| impair the strength of even the septi-
ment of the north. There are in some of
| the southern states themselves IN which
elections have become q farca and a
mockery, tendencies which, il unchecked,
woald speedily restore the pr-stv OF the
ballot box; but these tendepc .es have
been more than counter balanced ey tie
| temptation, operating on tie manage
ment OF political organization bath in
| the north and in the south. to k.ep the
south sod by fool means.
| Let Datota be admitted as two states
and the Fundamental conditions of the
political balance of power viii be re-
vefsed. The potency of the solid south
even If it could be maintained, Will not
then be effective in the electoral college
and in the national legislature, and US
new states between Dakota and the Pa.
| cltic are admitted that potency will be
| diminished. In short, the temptation
| to corrupt political methods, will be in
standby dimFnished, both in the south
and ip the northern doubtful states, even
| ii the temptation be not Instantly who lily
removed.
| Now, any intelligent mind can see in
suca situation-With the balance of
power IN shs solid south wiped out as TO
| national affairs-that the question Of the
purity OF the ballot box and OF the free
dom of elections in the south then be-
comes largely local question, not so
much q national question. That is
to say, the evils and injuries which
are the consequences OF election
frsnd, forgery and violence will be felt
by the people of the south In their local
interests and affairs. Their own direct
interests will require the remedy Of the
evil. The advantage which they now
acquire from such wrongful methods in
! the domain OF national politics will be
largely gone. Having nothing to gain
nationally, but everything to lose in
state and local government, they will be
driven perforce TO cure the evil.
Is not this cure OF depraved election
| methods thing to be desired by ell
good citizens OF all parties? Is there
to-day political issue which, in q
broad view, has bound up in its settle
ment more direct effects npon the well
fare of the country? Is there remedy
therefore so direct, speedy and sure aa is
promised by the division and admission
OF Dakota? Is not this, in feet, the
only practical remedy which can be
found?