Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-07-26
The dc mocratic congressional nominee,

The dc mOcr8tlG congressional nominee,
the product of the jamestown oonven-
tion, Professor J W Harden, opened
In set speech to hall foil OF democrats
and republicans. The event was for
mally announced by the speaker as the
opening of the campaign in Dakota, SO
we presume there can be no mistake
about it. The cempaig1 may be con-
sidered open. Professor Harden is now
before the democratic party for its
suffrsges. That his opening effort in
his own behalf will operate TO his
advantage cannot be conceded. He
devoted the evening to national politics
and just before closing touched incident
ally and very briefly upon the subject OF
the division of Dakota and the admission
of two states This was what his audi
ence had been waiting all the evening
for. 1t had held its seats in quiet patience
through an hour or more OF reoitals from
the democratic free trade text book
arguments ready made and familiar as
the platitudes of the primef--ex pectlng
the professor to leave that subject and
enter the domain OF territorial issues.
At the close OF his long speech Profess
sor Harden remarked that the admission
of Dakota was q subject of interest and
that the people were seriously divided
upon the question OF one or two states,
1t was his supposition that declaration
of his poellon thereon was expected. lie
then fly declared that he stood
upon the jamestown platform, which
favored the admission of Dakota IS one
state, with the proviso that, after adj
mission to the. union, the state should
be divided into two states, if majority
of the people should express themselves
at the polls in favor Of such division
He added that If any one was afraid te
submit this question to vote of The
people he was too narrow in his yiewa tt
be considered.
| The democratic candidate for congress
declares, therefore, in unequivocal terms
for the admission OF Dakota undivided
in accordance with the dictation OF tn,
national democratic party and the terri
torial convention OF democrats convened
at jamestown. He commits himself L
the policy OF one state in opposition +
the wishes and hopes of maiorlty @
his own party within the territory an
the pronounced views OF all OF the re
, publican party of the territory and th
. nation. Upon thatzsleolaration he sub
, mlts his candidacy to the ballot OF th
lpeopie. His declaration for one stat
is made more positive by I'll
4 fact that the meeting he address
ed was arranged by the sma
!. faction of Church followers IN Yankto
anti divisionists for the spoils {
party-and was presided over by o
, Isnti-divisionis carpet bsgger from th
. state of Indiana. There can be n
a further question about the position (
the democratic candidate for congre!
upon this oversnsdowine issue. He d.
d clared himself against two states an
o his declaration must be taken as IN goo
b faith.
II The supplementary proposition to d
J. vide the state OF Dakota into two stat
Or after it has become an integral part
ly the union is beyond the pale Of intel
Of gent consideration. No action whi'
e. could be taken by the people of I'll
ne territory or by the congress OF the Unit
ii States could be made binding upon 81
IL future congress. 1t oould be said in
n. enabling act, or an admission act, tt
vel congress- might divide she state Of 1