Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-04-19
VEST ON DAKOTA,

The Senate Almost Adop ts Butler's
Substitute for the Plate Bill,
Washington, April 17--In the senate
to-day. when the Dakota bill was taken
up at 2 O'Clock. Mr.. Vest took the floor
and proceeded with general defense
of the democratic party against the
charge chat they had distracted the ad-
mission OF Daiyota. Hs cited the re-
mark MAKE Ry Senator Edmunds that
there wastie 3abarlc politics in Dakota,
and sfeseH, tbs: The seaa os from TsF.
mont had intended by this term, the
democratic politics. Senator Vests
speech was exceedingly disappointing
in view of his reputation es an orator,
and it contained nothing but the reiter-
ated and familiar statements that Dako-
ia was IN state of rebellion when she
had adoLted state constitution and
elected state officers before an enabling
act had been passed. His arguments
we're so fiat and stale that even the dem.
ocrats upon his own side OF the chamber
could not abide his oratory and denun-
citation, and left their seats empty long
before the speech was finished. No facts
of Importance we're cited, and no figures
read that in any way helped ont the
democratic side OF the case: and in view
of the strong speech made by the senator
upon former occasion, the speech was
taken to indicate that the democratic
position had been greatly weakened
by the assaults of the past few days. "A
portion of the speech was largely made
no OF running fire of debate between
Messrs. Vest and Edmunds, the latter
greatly disturbing the temper oi the
senator from Missouri by caustic com.
ments upon the past history OF. the dem
ocratic party in connection with these
admission movements. Senator Vest
| made his strongest argument when he
Eclted the objection of Senator Hale to
the admission OF the territory in 1882 on
| account OF the Yankton bond affair. as
he read extracts from Senator Hals's
| speech to show how the republican party
| had fought for two years and obstrncSed
the admission OF the territory. He said
that after the objection OF the senator
from Maine these bonds were paid in
full by the city OF Yankton. He objected
to this method OF making the United
States senate collecting agency. In
| relation to Senator Oullom's statements
as to the low proportion OF actual votes
cast in the southern states to the exact
voting population, he read long state
ment to show that the percentage Of the
vote cast was fully as great as
in the north, making the peculiar
| mistake of taking the population
from the census OF 1880 and the number
of voters from the election returns of
1884. Senator Edmunds called the
speaker to account upon the statement
that Dakota had intended any defiance
| to congress in adopting her state con-
stitution and memorielizing that body
for admission. Senator Edmunds said
the people OF Dakota had not by word or
deed asserted that they were q state
without the sanction OF congress. With
the hippancy q school boy Mr.. Vest in
sisted upon constituting She language to
suit his own purposes thereby showing
how exceeding mesger are the deienses
OF the democratic position,
| At She close of MIR. Vest's speech there
appeared to be no sign Of disposition
to debate the bill, aud Ingalls, quickly
put tine question on ntler's'amendmept
the Springer BILL He was reminded
that Senator ChandIor had offered an
amendment providing for the re. election
of all the state officers, but he replied
that the amendment had been offered
simply to be printed, but as il had
not been afterwards regularly
offered to the bill it was not in
order. This failure on the part OF Ohand.
Ter was due 60 the fact that the senator
was attending an investigation OF his
Chippewa matters. Senatos Edmruds,
on q protest from Senator Blair against
running the bill through without giving
Chandler chance to offer his amend.
e. 49,. 4. ". a