The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-28
All Is viaor alld
. Cities spring up ii

the frontier has been driven further on
toward tile Rocky Mountains, and q
peaceful, courageous and indomitable
race Of farmers has succeeded to the s6il.
The foundations Of a great and powerful
state have been laid 1t will tako many
gensrations to make the inhsb ksats Of
Dakota lose their aggressive dnd enss
This vast population needs a state GOV.
eminent upon which TIN concentrate
its sentiment and virt&y. Every one in
the country has been educated to look
upon territorial government as a mere
temporary condition necessary in the
formative stage~76 tile commonwealth.
The people have been eagerly looking
forward to the time when they could
vote for the President and have United
States senators and elect a state govern
ment from governor down.
But there is far mole serious reason
for statehood existing in this particular
part of Dakota tllan even the considera-
ton Of material prosperity. In Pembina
county great majority OF the people are
Canadians and lcelanders. Iftl,ese peo-
pie had settled in state, the natural ex-
element of state elections and state cele-
bra'ions would have stirred up Il sense
Of American patriotism in them and an
ambition to take par! in the government.
But us it is they look upon the govern
ment rs something distant and vague, q
system in which they are not expected
to take any part. They naturally fall
into the condition of all DISTINGUISHED
peoples and take little or no interest in
pnbic affairs. They become citizens OF
course. That is necessary preliminary
to owning the soil. l saw the District
Court here crowded with them yester-
day-all seeking naturalization. Judge
Templeton had come up to Pembina
and opened court expressly to accomlno-
date the desire for citizenship. Two
days before he had admitted lO7 aliens
to citizenship Mt Langdon, few miles
away.
This great mass of humanity is going
through the forms of naturalization, but
it is not expatriated in spirit as rule
and the reason for it is very largely that
citizens in Dakota are shut out from the
participation i'll politics which the citi-
zens of states enjoy. There are no boil.
ing over periods Of patriotism such as
New York saw i'll the last campaign.
Think Of towns that don't know what q
torchlight parade is! A Dakotian sees
the President appoint Brooklyn man
to be governor of the territory. The
Dakotian was not consulted about it. He
had 10 part in the selection. And so lie
cares little or nothing about the governor.
How different it all would be if eacl,
party met in conventions and selected.
Dakota men for the office and then went
into red hot campaign over it.
And do you suppose the people here
are not interested in the tariff question,
with two railways running from Winni-
peg right down through the Territory :?
But what voice have they in the ques-
ton Of tariff reform or high protection?
As they have 10 votes except for minor
officers these great national issues are
not presented to them by the great ora
tors 81 the country. Here they remain,
disfranchised and helpless, with their
hundreds Of villages and cities a reproach
to the Republic.
The effect Of all this upon tile people
nearest the border line is to prevent the
absorption Of the aleu- population, which
is i'll the majority, and to that extent to
weaken the basis of the future State.
For instance, so little is there under a
Territorial form of government to call
out the Americanism that is latent in all
nationalities that four years ago the Rev.
Mr.. Treglawney's predecessor in this
county used to pray every Sunday for the
health and prosperity of Queen Victoria
not very lnchristian thing to do sure.
ly, but hardly sign of American patriot
ism. When Mr.. Treglawney took charge
Of the congregation he met his flock ut a
sociable III the church. He is a Vermont
man, and us he sat watching the rude
pioneers mingllng together his heart
beat high with thoughts Of newer and
better America that was growing up on
the prairies TO counterfeit by its simple
and sturdy patriotism the stealtl,y creep
of corruption in the luxurious East.
the congregation stood up to
sing the national anthem and to his in
tense establishment there rolled up from
every throat in the heartiest toncs:-
God save our gracious Queen.
Long live our noble Queen,
God ave the Queen.
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long 10 reign over us.
God rave the Qucon.
The Yankee preacher got up and gave
his congregation hail Columbia about it.
lie told them never to repeat that an
them in an American church. Then he
4. Al