Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-04-11

Interrupted Platt to ask what the sena-
tor from Connecticut meant by asserting
that these people had right to vote,
and if he intended to assert that they
had q legal right Senator Piatt replied
that he did not counsel revolutionary
measures. BE did not mean to be un-
derstood as asserting that these people
had a right to get up state government
and vote at elections without the con-
sent of congress, bnt by the treaty of
1903 with France and by the northwest
ordinance they were guaranteed certain
rights when their population reached q
certain figure, and he meant by these
they had moral wight.
The division question then came mp,
and Vest inquired of Platt if he had
noticed that north Dakota had given
majority of 10000 against division, while
south Dakota had given so small ma
lority tor it that the aggregate majority
for it had been but 8 1893. Mr.. Platt re.
piled that he had given the figures. He
then gave the reasons, which have al
ready been stated, Why this vote bad
been SO small The despair of the peo-
pie OF both sections over admis ion had
been one reason for 1t. The necessity for
division was then shown. Dakota's area
was compared with that of various
states. and shown TO be so much greater
| than any of them that she would trans
gress the accepted notion OF the SIZE of
states il not divided. III divided, South
Dakota would be larger thar Minnesota,
| Nebraska or Kansas. Were these states
zoo small? Here was great agricul-
tural territory, capable of supporting a
dense population. By 1900 she would
| have 100000 of people, and would be-
come O great province of herself. Might
she not come in time TO feel that she was
not as dependent upon the union as she
might be if che were smaller? There
was danger IN this. He had read a
dispatch sent from here to northwest
ern paper stating that certain senators
would vote for the admission of but one
state, headed "An Imperial State,n We
wanted no imperial states. He drew at,
tention to the great distances which peo-
pie were forced to travel to get TO court
or the capital. Poor people could not
go to court, Such state OF things was
snbversive of justice, Poor people could
not go to the legislature. Ii made 9
government OF the rich. There were bu,
six courts for more than 100000 people
In many counties court had not beer
held for two years, and in the jails were
criminals who could not be tried.
Argument for admission followed L
was time that the territory with her grea
population governed herself. The whole
present plan made our theory of self.
,. government lie. A governor from an
, other state, stranger, yes selected ant
sent down to her. He bad the appoint.
ment OF 125 territorial officers, who spen
all her money He made no charges
but such state OF things bred fraud ant
corruption. He quoted from Frapklin'i
, comment on the proprietary government
of Pennsylvania to show that appointivt
governors with veto power we're cor
rupt, The whole history of appointiy;
] officials had been one of corruption
| Dakota supported her own government
All that the government paid ont for he
was $24,500 annually ard sos $50 bi
annually. States that had already form
. ed constitutions previous to enabling
a acts were mentioned in defense of Dako
ta's action. AS to the suggestion mad
!, at the last session that the euttin,
of territories into numerous.ststes woult
. convert the senate into mob, he replied
that it was better that the senate SHOULD
be SO enlarged as TO represent the popu
/.
admitted SO large as TO have abnormal,
a large representation in the house O
+ representatives. There were now IN th
n union nine states having less popuia
ton than the proposed state of sout
Dakota. Senator Platt closed with
strong appeal for Dakota's rights an
the dignity which the government wa
sacrificing by turning deaf ear to he
appeal. Why should these torn
: deaf car 10 her prayerp Why shoul
: the senate refuse to participate in tha
grandest act OF legislstion-the admit
9 sion OF new state into the union, thu
q adding to the grandeur, the strength. tn
A glory and the renown of the America
. republicS Senator Butler got the hoo
and yielded for an executive sessiol
Q He will speak tomorrow. Senate
g Chandler offered an amendment to th
d bill to be printed, providing that elec
9 tions for congressman and for the legia
# lature to elect the United States sen
: ators shall be held subsequently to th
s passage of the bil1--a blow ct the pref
e ent elected officers.
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