The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-19
DAKOTA'S HOPE In HARRISON.
The Territory's Great Interests in the Elec-
ton, aud Why Division Is Desirable.

the Territory Of Dakota. No people in this
broad land are celebrating the happy result
with more enthusiasm. The prai:ies are aciow
with bonfres, and the clear and healthful air IS
charged with the eloorencs of orators who never
tire Of telling of the good things coming under
q Republican administration. There are many
reasons for the present state Of rejoicing. The
public is familiar with the fact that for some
years Dakota has been asking for statehood,
but beyond this, unlsss the average reader OF
current events has taken the time to study the
resources. population and rights of this fertile
Territory, the condition Of things Is not
thoroughly understood.
Prior 10 1880 the Territory made no effort to-
ward statehood, but for many years preceding
there was o strong effort to make two Dakotas
out OF this large Territory by dividing it east
and west on the forty-sixth parallel. This feel
ing for division has been growing with the
years, and q North and South Dakota has been
as much known in this section as the North and
South Carolinss in the South. These two Sec
tons have never had any interest in common.
This has been largely due to the way the rail
roads traverse the Territory. The Northern
Pacific extends east and west through northern
D0hOtdt Al bEouSlCo NuOuN i tuhU
while the same is nearly true of the great Mani
toba system. The Chicago, Milwaukee 81 st.
Paul and Chicago e. Northwestern systems are
the railroads OF southern Dakota, and. as the
roads OF Dakota are almost wholly %east-and-
west lines. there is little to create commercial
and political ties.
This feeling in favor of division, as noted. has
been such q factor in legislative sessions and
political conventions that for many years every
thing has tended that way. In the location OF
mn h1IC ~ ofitntinnc sha vor4h nad tha oorrth haUa
shared equally. Each section has its peniten-
tiaries, insane asylums, normal schools, schools
for the blind and territorial houses of correction.
For many years every possible effort has been
made TO get division, which was to be followed
by statehood. by South Dakota. at least, which
has had sufficient population for six years. But
a Democratic Congress, followed four years ago
by o Democratic administration, failed to recog-
nize either OF the claims. Dakotians have held
two constitutional conventions and a score or
more OF mass conventions, at which resolutions
were promulgated, setting forth the claims OF Da-
kota to division and statehood. but the partisan
ship Of Senators Vest, Of Missouri, aud But
Ter. of South Carolina, and Congressman
Springer, OF Illinois, and others, thwarted the
efforts of the people for years.
When a change of administration occurred IN
1855 the grievances of the people of Dakota be-
came doubly burdensome. Soon after his 10
aueuration President Cleveland began his i'm
portation of federal appointess, the frat to
reach the Territory being Louis K. Church,
from Long Island. with the commission OF q
judge in his pocket. It soon became a question
with the bar of his district whether be mad ever
made law a study. In a few months Judge
Church became Governor of Dakota, and from
that day to this much has occurred to show his
| incapacity for the position and lack of fidelity to
the interests Of the public. Many scandals
have had their birth at the executive Office, and
in several instances the public has suffered at
his hands.
When the Governor took the Office In 1885 he
/ dicfated leciaIatinn nv rafre:cO m siCn hills maxi
ing appropriations for the com 2letion Of public
buildings begun under former appropriations
unless certain bills were passed containing POI
culiar emolumeuts for executive pin-money.
Notable among these was q 50 tax on eech no.
tarial commission. independent OF the fees OF
the secretary. and an appropriation for clerk
hire and railroad fare. The whols administ-a-
ton of Governor Church has not tended to Gre
ate confidence in the Territory, OF home or
abroad, and the people have become disguised
and out OF heart. President Cleveland did not
forget to send other appointees to Dakota who
have been obnoxious to the people, not only be-
cause they meddled with local affairs, but be-
cause OF their ignorance of the duties OF the po-
sltions they came to fill. This has been par
tlcularly the case with one federal judge and 81
several of the land Offices.
1t is not to be wondered that the prayer OF
Dakota was for the success OF General Harrison
and a Republican majority in the national Con-
gress. Territorialhood has been burdensoms
for some years. for many reasons. which are
briefly as follows:
A lack of credit abroad and a rate Of interest
that means bankruptcy to the borrower; the
bulk of immigration tending elsewhere because
o. the fear many have Of a Territory and terri
torial laws, schools. taxation and society; an
insufficient judiciary, who attempt to admins
ter laws they know nothing of, but get their APP
pointments through favoritism and promises;
reckless legislation that would not occur under
statehood; a lack o. unity of interest because of
the conflicting interests of the sections that
would disappear with division and lstatehood;
the millions Of acres OF school lands which bring
no returns and DO not aid the taxpayer and can
not be sold while this remains a Territory; and
last and most important our voiceless condition
in governing ourselves and our chaotic and de-
pendent condition in national affairs.
The above are only a few Of the many reasons
why life in a Territory is decidedly unpleasant.
There is reason for rejoicing when the hope is
so positive for a speedy change. Dakota is so
overwhelmingly Republican that it would have
been many years before q Democratic admins
tration would have given it statehood. But
when Dakota becomes a State the grand old
Republican State Of Pennsylvania will find a
lively competitor for msjorities.
But the question the reader will naturally ask,
who mas not made Dakota and its development
much Of a study, will be: What have you in Da-
kotal' Well, We have much TO be proud of, and
here are some official statistics COMPLIED by the
commissioners of immigration, and covering the
ground TO the 30th OF last June. The popula-
ton of Dakota is GO. s23 psople. nearly 200, 600
of whom reside south OF the forty-sixth parallel.
Complete tables from the official returns of the
eleven land Offices in the Territory show there
were 200 new filings under the general land
laws, embracing 1888, 142 acres. There
were 10,455 final proofs Of titles ac-
CURED to 1.6l6. $50 acres. The grand
total Of lands newly filed on and purchased by
immigrants for settlement for the year ending
June 80, closely approximates 2. 500, 600 acres, or
1900 square miles, An area twice that OF Della
ware. There are yet subject to homestead and
s-empti In Dakota %. 245, 949 acres. Dur
ing the year 1888 there were constructed $40
miles Of railroad in the Territory. making the
total mileage now in operation 1888.
In agriculture, the chief industry of Dakota,
wonderful progress has been made. In 1860
less than 900 bushels of wheat were raised.
Ten years later the crop amounted to IL. 662
bushels, and ten years later (lSS0l, 9, $50, $50
bushels. in 1885 there was SO. loo. Alb, and
in 1857 there were GO, 406, 000. In 1887 there
were 241 oil 126 bushels of corn. OF late years
the stock industry has received no little atten-
ton. The valuation OF cattle. horses. hogs and
sheep now reaches many millions OF dollars.
IN southern Dakota this industry has taken the
place of the wheat industry, aud the farmers
are getting rich.
The total assessed valuation of Dakota for
the Territory isiS320, coo, 900. In 1880 the as
ssssed valuation was $40. csc. 600. IL will be
seen that the increase has been wonderful
Toilets at tho Endicott Wedding.
Washington Special.
Whar +ha pras;dart a,d Ms Clavalord az.