The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-02-10
DAKOTA NEWS ITEMS.
DAKOTA STATEHOOD,
The Bill to Admit the Southern Halt
and for Lincoln Territory Report
ed to the Senate.

ed to the Senate.
Washington, Special Telegram, Jan. 23.-
Senator Plntt reported to the senate the
substitute for the Henderson bill adopted
by the committee, which provides for the
admission OF South Dakota US n state and
the organization Of the territory OF Lin.
coin. He reprints entire Senator Harri.
sons report on the bill last session, and in
addition appenls n lengthy advocacy Of
the present bill. After recapitulating the
action OF Dakota looking to statehood, as
set forth in the report OF the committee
cn territories OF the Forty.ninth congress,
the committee snys:
Since the adoption OF the report OF the
committee and the passage OF the bill adj
mittins tho people Of the southern half to
the privileges oil statehood, nothing has
taken place in the opinion Of tho commit
tee which justifies the reversal OF tho nc.
tion OF the senate in respect to the divis.
ion OF the territory and the admission in.
to the Union OF II new state, with substan.
tially the same boundaries ms those pre-
scribed by the senate in the bill which is
approved. Indeed, tho reason for tho di-
vision 81 the territory. and the formation
tlerefrom Of two states rather
than the admission Of the whole rs a
single state. becomes convincing and pat.
ent as the justiable delay OF congress in
recognizing the rights OF Dakota Territory
for sclf.government continues. The people
Of North Dakota and South Dakota, in tho
interval since the former action OF the sen.
ate. have become il possible, more complete.
ly two political units, until to-day they
arc rs distinct in interests. character, as.
sociations and institutions as are The peo.
pie OF any two states. In everything ex.
cept the compulsory union in u territory,
North Dakota und South Dako.
tn nrs as separate political com.
mnnities us Massachusetts and Connccti-
cut. To insist upon their admission as
one state il as rcpugnant to the sense OF
Justice and national propriety as would bo
the enforced union OF the states named.
That this is absolutely true is shown by
the TACT that the institutions usually found
in states have been duplicated in southern
aud northern Dakota by the action of tho
territorial legi. latrre.
The report recapitulatcs the institutions
which have been located by tho legislature
with nn even division between the two sec.
tions, the ests for their est ablishmcnt pro.
vidins that II the territory should ever be
divided the portion in which each institu.
tion lies is to assume the indebtedness
incurred in its erection. Tho report con.
tinues:
MATTER OF NAMES.
The completeness OF this political divis.
ion is still further shown by the fact that
the names OF North Dakota and South
Dakota have attached to the different por-
tions OF the territory as have the names
of South Carolina and North Caro-
lima to those states. To admit
North Dakota and South Dakota as
states would add To their distinctive char
acter. To admit them as one state would
he to attempt to unite two people, hetero-
geneous in interests, associations, char.
acteristics and aspirations. Ifthe welfare,
the harmony and the good OF the people Of
tho territory arc to obeconsilcred, the arg,l.
ment in fnvor OF two states instead of one
state seems overwhelming and conclusive.
II the result of the vote In the terri.
imous sentiment in favor of division
than has been supposed to exist tho ren.
sntis Tor it are quite obvious. The name
oil l,akot;, is dear TO the people OF North
rs OF South Dakota. The residents of the
northern section Justly claim 10 havegiven
that name to one OF the principal proiuc,
ti0ns OF the territory and to have made
Dakota wheat" famous throughout ths
world. There is merit in the claim that
they are as mucI, entitled to the name Da.
k"ta as the residents in the southern part
nf the territory and as division seemed to
imply loss oi the cherished name many
were induced to vote against division,
However. the controlling factor
in determining whether Dakota should he
admitted MS one state or az two states
must always be the national interest and
welfare. And it seems to your committee
that states OF immense area OF great
wealth and power and with population
which entitle thom to abnormally large
representations IN the house of.epresentn.
tivcs are elements OF national weakness
rather than national strength, and may in
future prove n danger to the republic.
Every consideration, national as we'll II.
local. seems to point to til "-n.
priety and necessitv .
ultimate crc".'
A NJ.