The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-29
GUNS. PISTOLS AND D1RKs.
Senator Plumb Draws some Comparison
Complimentary 80 South Dakota.

Senator Plumb Draws some Comparisons
Complimentary 90 South Dakota.
In Reply TO Senator Vests Speech Against the Adj
mission OF South Dakota.
Senator Plumb-Perhaps it may be the uuAl-
ity of the people in Dakota to which my friend
from Missouri objects. The people of Dakota
are as fair . Representative of what we call the
Anglo-Saxon race on this continent any sim
liar number of people in the world. It may not
be- perhaps, fair to say that they are choice Sc
lection, but they have been taken from the
most active, energetic and forcefui of the peo-
pie of the Eastern, Middle and Western States,
with q sprinkling from the South. They are
men chiefly in the prime Of life. They have
converted desert into habitable land they
cultivate more or farm land than two
thirds of the Southern States. They devote
more money annually TO schools than any one
or the Southern States leaving out three or four.
and the church buildings and all the other
things which are at least prima facie evidence
OF state OF civilization which has been the ac-
compartment of the march of the Anglo-Saxon
race across this continent, in stronger and
more manifest existence in Dakota than in the
majority of the States OF the Union.
think their progress from the day when the
white man first set foot within the limits of
Dakota to the present time has been marked by
less excuses than have been common to some
OF the older States of the Union during that same
time. and there has been in every respect not
only careful regard for the public will, but
ample laws passed TO give IL effect, and | have
yet to learn that there has ever been in Dakota
either by direction or by indirection, serious
effort to prevent a fair expression of the
popular will or suppress it after it was made.
fnere are not so many ballot-boxes there at the
annual elections as there in the State of
South Carolina. however The citizen of Dakota
is willing TO deposit mis- ballot containing it
tue name OF every person for whom he wishes
TO vote IN a single ballot-box. When he deposits
1t he is positively certain that that vote will be
counted. 1t he should happen by any freak of
fortune to be transported TO South Carolina. and
become an elector there, he would have need to
exercise most carefully his visual organs when
ne came TO vote, for there the votes must be de-
posted In eight different boxes, for each
ofncer to be voted for, in order TO be perfectly
sure that he Old not get some all of his bal
lots In the wrong box. and thus lose his vote.
mat elector who makes miss and puts his
ballot In the wrong box thereby loses his vote as
polls
shall be glad to have some Senator state
whether be thinks that that mode of gathering
the popular will in South Carolina is preferable
to the Dakota plan, and more likely to result in
q falr election and the will of the people being
made known, and whether Dakota, with her
Tree elections, her free institutions and her
Angio-Saxon people, with their order, sooriety,
their school-houses and their churches is not as
ut representative of what an American State
should be South CarolinaR Who ever heard
of candidate for Congress, or any other office
in Dakota. starting out in his campaign with
underground cannon. done in Mississ-
lppH Nor has there been in any of the cleo
tions In that Territory SO far as / am aware,
any serious charge that any man was prevented
from casting his vote or having his vote counted.
with whom have served in committee so long,
and of whom am personally very fond. the S an
ator from Alabama IMr. Morganl and for the
purpose of showing that my friend from Mis-
souri, is little oversensitive about the admis-
sion of Dakota call his attention to tie ex-
hibit of taxable property returned by the Au-
ditor or State of the State of Alabama for the
year 1880 1t is found in the report of the State
Auditor to the Governor. and under the head of
Exhibit 10-Continued" is list of the counties
in that State and the value and the kinds of
r{wx wrkzA 60. 49, 49,
in / and in the first column, as is perhaps
proper, the first thing 20 be enumerated, the
value of the gums, pistols and dirks" subject TO
taxation. The counties in the State are pat
down in alphabetical order, the first one being
Autaugs, and the value of guns. pistols ana
dirks assessed in that county in 1880 81. ASP.
Running along over the various other items
subjected TO taxation in that county, Agri-
cultural county, come to the item of farming
tools" and find that that county, which had
81. 452 worth of guns, pistols and dirks for taxa
ton in 1880, bad only $3.50 worth of farming
tools. This proportion of about eight to one in
favor of the guns, pistols and dirks is very
ly maintained throughout the State.
Going further down / find in the county of
Dallas that there were $4,000 worth of guns,
pistols and dirks assessed for taxation, and in
the Same county So 751 of farming tools; and in
lot single one of the counties of the State is
the proportion more favorable-the guns. pistols
and dirks always beng of greater value than
the farming tools The total of guns pistols
and dirks subject to taxation in the entire State
is 1857 150 75 while the total of farming tools il
only ST., 206. G5
When I look at the item of mechanical tools
the total value of all assessed for taxation in the
State of Alabama is 1922. asa. as against $751;
$50 IS for guns pistols and dirks. Turning back
TO a preceding table find the assessed value of
libraries in the State is $751; 949, being the en-
tire value of all the books assessed for taxation
in the State of Alabama, while the guns, pistols
and drks stand at the comfortable total OF
1851, 15075. 1t exceeds not only the libraries
but the jewelry, plate and silverware, this last
iteu heinp onlv 1884 419 while all that / can do
will not reduce this total of guns, pistols and
dirks from the appalling total of 1857, $50 U.s.
It is not worth while to make the comparison in
regard to paintings. but to observe. paintings
are assessed at $14979 will present the table.
The comparison in value of the guns, pistols
and drks with hogs and sheep is equally strik-
ing, and nearly equally to the disadvantage to
hogs and sheep.