St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-28
The Minority Of the Commit
tee on Territories Makes
Its Report,
Calling Attention to the Great
Wealth and Population
Of Dakota,
Charging the Majority Of the
Committee With Purposes
Political,
And Urging Division OF the
Territory and Admission
Of South Dakota.

AuOllG OlltI ltilllSS IL SINE
No party as a political measure can
afford TO ignore the will of a people eX-
pressed in 4 just cause. And no indi-
Vidual with a fair respect for the rights
of American citizens can deny state
hood any longer. The history Of the
efforts OF the people of South Dakota
for admission into the Union is written
in disappointed hopes and denial of just
rights 20 as loyal and intelligent peo-
pie as live in our land. The confidence
they had a right to repoSe in Americas
love of liberty and fairness has been
broken. For ten years she has pressed
herself, a peerless beauty in resources,
wealth, numbers and intelligence.
the pride of all America. yet ignored
10y congress and denied the right TO
enter
HER FATHERS HOUSE"
South Dakota contains a population
of about So. coo. and an area of about
1900 square miles. The undersigned
believe that ii has ever been and is still
the strong desire OF q great majority of
the people Of all Dakota that division
OF the territory upon an east and west
line. practically in the center, should be
made. Ii seems these people have laid
DOlllitdl
system with this in view, and we ask in
all candOr and sincerity. what objection
Is there or can there be urged against
granting it? There can be no question
whatever regarding the adaptability of
the soil, resources and climate
TO supporting and maintaining
as dense a population as any
OF the adjoining or Western states.
Think of the teeming millions of people
which will be forced under one state
government within a few generations if
Dakota is admitted as whole. Think
of New York. Pennsylvania, Ohio and
West Virginia as one state. Think of
one legislature for all these people and
this area? Imagine one legislature for
Ohio. Kentucky, Tennessee and West
Virginia? And yet in fertility of soil,
great rivers, plains and variety of eli
mate Dakota exceeds them all. This
illustrates precisely what the condition
of affairs i'm Dakota will be within gen
GRAFTON or two. if. against her will, she
Is forced into the Union as one state. 1t
is said that Texas is larger7state than
Dakota would be if admitted as a whole.
AS a matter Of fact,
TENA> FURNISHES NO PRECEDENT
whatever for Dakota; moreover. prOvis-
ion was made when Texas was admitted
TO the Union for 4 speedy division of
her territory into five states whenever
the people thereof desired it. And ROW,
because these people do not ask for di-
vision. Is il any assurance that they will
not, or any possible excuse for not
CHANTING what the people of Dakota
clearly wish. and certainly, in the judg-
ment of the undersigned. what is clearly
for their future interests? Regarding
what the people Of Dakota have done in
anticipation of admission of the terri
tory and as clearly demonstrating their
wishes in that regard, the undersigned
refer more particularly 10 the senate
report appended hereto. and also refer
TO said report for history of the state
hood movement and precedents
therefor. The fundamental doctrine
of this government is that major
tiles must rule. If there is any one
principle more pronounced than any
other in both Democratic and Republic
can creeds, it is to submit to a
vote of the people. This voting has
been done by the people of Dakota upon
this question Of division, at an election
duly provided for by the Legislature of
that territory. carried on and protected
by law. The answers to our queS-
tons show that it was fairly
conducted. Both the Democratic
and Republican conventions of the ter
ritory asked that it should be done. the
Legislature provided for the election and
the people voted, and the result was
nearly 5000 majority in the whole terri
tory for a division thereof, and yet we
are told this means nothing. The time
has been in the history of this great
country when
ONE VOTE
on who should be president meant some
thing. and while many regret the result
and criticiSe the methods by which it
was brought about, no one regrets ODE
dience to it and submission thereto.
Therefore the undersigned ask, are
these people children? Are they to be
dealt with simply as children? Are
they called upon to 90 to the polls and
vote and have nothing meant bv it?
They went to the polls and voted at a
time when people could not afford to
go: the weather was good and fine and
the people could not afford to leave
their plOwS and go to the polls and vote.
But still they did 20 to the polls and
voted, Notwithstanding these impedi-
ments. Seventy thousand voted out of
l04.G00 who voted at the election in
1856. 1t seems TO be the feeling
OF some that the question of
admission is TO depend upon the COM
pleXiOn of the politics of the territory.
Your minority find no such theory in
the constitution, no sue creed in any
party. i this government sham?
Are we 20 make colonies of our own
flesh and blood and keep them so? The
people OF these territories are our IA
Tiers, sons and brothers. The whole of
Dakota is included within one territory
al this time, simply because its area was
so defined more than a quarter of a cen
fury ago, before its civilized inhabitants
numbered 5000. Had it been divided
into two territories at any time previous
hereto. no one would advocate for an in
slant the idea of forcing both sections
into the Union as one state. Is there
any serious Intention of anneXing
IDAHO 10 MONTANA,
or Washington 20 Wyoming or Utah,
and forcing the two into the Union as
enc state? And vet tins would be lust
as reasonable and just as the PROPOSE
tiOn to admit Dakota rs whole. The
proposition TO force the people of Da-
kota into one state against their eX-
pressed will, o. to deny them their
rights, is simply the exercise of arbi-
trary power, and can almost be COM
pared with sheer brute force. 1t is re-
pugnant 10 the spirit as well as the
letter of our law and government Pol
ltical parties change, but governments,
if founded in equity. justice and
intelligence. stand. How applicable
20 this Dakota question is the
language of that peerless leader
and statesman, Senator Douglas, who.
speaking of The right that should be ac-
corded Tie people OF a territory to rcgu-
late their own affairs. said: ''If there
IS any one principle dearer and more
sacred than all others in a free govern
mcnt. it is That which asserts the ex-
elusive right ol free people 10 form
and adopt their fundamental law and to
regulate and manage their own internal
affairs and domestic institutions. Ideny
their right congress- to force a good