Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-23
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Dakota's Division and STATE.
hood ID fore the House..
Minority Report Of the Committed
on Territo,ies---A Plea for
Justice.

of the committee on territories has
finished the consideration of the omni-
bus bill, which 1t will report to the
house probably ON Wednesday. The
republicans OF the committee will make
a minority report. whicn they have al
ready prepared, favoring the passage of
the Baker bill or MIR. Giford's bill for
the admission OF North and South Da-
kota. In shis report, after recapitulat-
ing the terms of the enabling acts above
referred to, it ia shown that the proposed
state of North Dakota will have on area
of "a, 900 square miles, and will be ex-
eeeded in size by only eight states,
namely, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota,
Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada
and Texas; that by the tenth census in
1886, North DAKOTA had q population of
1852. 900 and h appropriation had increased
20 225,000 Oh Jan l, 1888; and that no
state ever organized from the public
domaiQ ever had anything like the
population of north Dakota. Extracts
are then made from the report of the
COMMISSIONS Of immigration of the ter
-ito:y ;o show the crops OF North Da-
kota and her commercial value as an
agricultural state. 1t is shown that
North Dakota is to-day q political
entity, ga by acts OF the territorial iegis-
ture public institutions have been
located at central and convenient
points, and that she is as we'll equipped
with these institutions as the southern
half Of the territory; that the principal
growth and prosperity OF north Dakota
has been gained since 1880, Under the
census of 1870 the population was about
1000; in 1880 it was about 3S 600. Rsa-
Sons are given why north Dakota has
not before asked for admission into the
union, and the argument is used that
their desire for admission influenced the
large majority against division in the
last election. A protest ia made against
the further exclusion from the union on
the ground that its courts are made
quate.
The report proceeds:
Officials not OF the populer election
have been thrust upon them. They have
been denied representation, although
they share in eqsal proportion with the
states the expenses OF the general gov
eminent. Five-ssventhB of the area OF
the United States, including Dakota,
lies west of the Mississippi river, which
section now has s population of 0 ,000,-
600 and the other two sevenths have a
population OF 4S 900. 600. A careful es-
innate shows that the year 1890 will
show q population OF 32,0C0,000 in
the states west OF the Mississippi river,
and it is predicted that the day is not
far distant when the center of popula-
ton will be forced westward to the
border of the great American desert,
which has disappeared like
will o. the wisp before advancing
civilization. In view of these facts the
minority think due regard should be
had for the future of this country, and
that these states should be of medium
size, having due regard to their
adaptabiiity of supporting and maintain.
ing statehood and self-government. II
certainly does not seem to the minority
o wise policy to force the admission OF
these great territories into the union,
and particularly Dakota, as o single
state and against the will of her people.
States OF such great wealth and area as
she will soon be rather an element OF
national weakness in many ways than of
strength, and must Dol or later prove
o mensce to our form OF government.
Upon the bill for the admission of
south Dakota the minority of the COM
mittee mako Q separate report in which
they say: .
This measure in substance passed the
senate in the first meeting of the forty.
ninth congress in February, 1886. That
portion of Dakota embraced within the
provisions of the bill had many times
previously pressed Its claims to state
hood, and those claims have become SO
important that they seem to the impera-
tive. The minority believe that the
population, resources, area, intelligence
and wealth OF her people demand that
congress ehonld act at once, and that her
rights, 30 long withheld, should be
granted in the full spirit Of American
liberty, There are no p~recedents or
parallel In the country's history for the
injustice that has been done south Da.
in this matter Of refusing her statehood.
| No party, as q political measure, can
afford to ignore the will OF a people Ell
pressed i n g just cause land no individual
| with q proper respect for the rights oil
American citizens can deny those PEG.
pie statehood longer. \ be history oil
the people Of south Dakota for admis.
sion into the union Ia written In disap.
pointed hopes and denial Of rights to as
loyal and intelligent a people as live in
our land. The confidence that they had
o eight to repose in love Of American
liberty and fairness has been broken
For ten years she has pressed herself, 9
fearless claimant, strong in resources
wealth MEMBERS. intelligence. She hai
been among the prairie states, the pride
OF the country, and yet has been ignored
BY congraRs end denied the right tc