Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-03-05
9ress md 9akotaiaa
DIVISION AND ADMISSION.
Dakota's Struggle Before
the People ofthe Nation.
Proposition for a Convention from the
Division and Statehood Central
Committee.

Proposition for a Convention from the
Division and Statehood Central
Committee.
Headquarters Division and Statehood
Committee, YaDkton Dakota. Feb. 20,
1883. To the People of Dakota; This
comnittee appointed by the division
convention, which assembled at Huron
July Is, 1887, was charged With the
duty OF c%oDyoking q convention of the
people of Dakota whenever, in their
Judgment. an emergency should arise
which should demand the action of the
people.
In the judgment of the committee
that time il at hand. The committee il
now engaged in conference as to the
proper time, place and manner Of call
ing such convention.
The committee before issuing suct
call would be glad to hear by letter
personally, from ell friends Of diyisior
and statehood upon these subjects.
The committee is deeply Impressed
with the most solemn conviction thai
the enemies Of Dakota. under the lead Of
Mr.. Springer, chairman Of the house
commIttee on territories, in spite of the
noble remonstranees of leading and
representative democrats, such as The
Hon.-S 8. Cox, of New York, as we'll Of
OF all the republican members, will
succeed in killing all measures for di-
vision and admission in this congress
The committee takes this from the pub
lished n%tterances OF Mr.. Boynton and
other officials.
The iniquitious scheme of MIR, Spring.
er and the %conooctors of the fraudulent
Springer bill, to force Dakota into the
union, as "a state, against the will oil
her people and sgains. every interest OF
the territory, fnancIal as we'll as politi-
cal and moral, will be defeated in CON.
gfess, as We ere advised, by the patrio-
tic and manly opposition of the abIess
and wieest democrats, as we'll al OF the
republican congressman, and by the aid
OF the united press of the great west
This is now conceded.
The able daily press Of st. Paul, Min
neapolis, Chicago, Sioux City, Omaha
and st. Louis, see this, and are fighting
our battle bravely.
Cincinnati, Louisville, Omaha, and
New Orleans will eventually take the
same side, because our interests are
theirs, as western communities.
The attention OF the people of the
United States will be attracted to our
struggle by tho coming debate in con-
gress.
The recent report of the minority oil
the house committee on territories, is
extremely suggestive, and pregnant
with meaning and hope, to our people,
and should be carefully studied by
every citizen OF Dakota.
We deem it OF SO much importance
that we herewith reprint extracts from
it, which We especially request the press
and particularly the weekly press 0!
Dakota, to reprint for the benefit Of
their readers:
"DficiaIs not of popular election have
been thrust upon them. They have been
denied representation, although they
share in equal proportion with the
states, she expenses OF the general gov
eminent. Fige-aeyenths OF the area oil
the United States, including Dakota, lies
west of the Mississippi river, which secs
tion now has q population OF 10 100000
and the other t~wo-sevenths have a popu.
lation of 100000 A careful estimate
shows that the year 1890 will show q
population OF 81, 100000 in the states
west OF the Mississippi river, and it is
predicted that the day is not far distant
when the center of population will be
forced westward to the border OF the
great American desert, which has disap-
psared like o will OF the wisp before adj
vancing civilization. In view of theae
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
maintaining statehood and self govern,
ment. It certainly does not seem to the
minority q wise policy to force the ad-
mission of these great territories into
the union, and particularly Dakota
ss o single state and against the will of
her people. States OF such great wealth
and area as she, will soon be rather az
element OF national weakness in many
ways than OF strength, and must sooner
or later Prove o menace to u form o.
government"
Referring to Mr. Giford's hill for the
admission OF north and south Dakota,
the minority report says: "This meas
ure in substance passed the senate in
the first meeting of the forty-ninth con.
gress in February, 1886. That portion
OF Dakota embracedt within the pro.
visions Of the bill, had many times
previously pressed its claims TO state.
hood, and those claims have become sc
important thet they seem to the com
mites imperative. The minority be-
lieve that The population, resources
area, intelligence and wealth OF her peo-
pie demand that congress should aoi
at oAce; and that her rights, 30 long
withheld. should be granted in the full
spirit of American liberty. There are
no presidents or parnilelin the conntry'e
history for the injustice that has beer
done south Dakota in this matter OF re-
fnsipg her statehood. No party, as q
political measure can afford to ignore
the will of q people expressed in q just
cause, and no individual with q proper
respect for the rights of American
citizens, can deny those people state,
hood longer. The history OF the
struggle OF the people OF south Dakota
for admission into the union, is written
in disappointed hopes and denial oil
rights to . loyal and intelligent q peo-
ple as live In our land. The confidence,
that they had o right 20 repose in love
OF American liberty and. fairness has
has been broken. For ten yesrs she has
pressed herself, Q fearless claimant,
strong in resources, wealth. numbers
and intelligence. She has been among
the prairie states, the pride Of the coun-
try, and yet has been ignored by con.
gresB and denied the right to enter her