Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-06-28

General Hugh j. Campbell, of Yank-
ton, in long interview in the Sioux
City Journal, defines anew his statehood
plan in the following terms:
1t is just this-the difficulty is that
In the house the leaders of the demo-
cracy have refused to let vote be taken
Springer Just sits on the safety valve,
and refuses TO get off. Aud our only re-
lief is by some action to make him get
off and do something. The legislature
OF the terrItory ls the government, and
the people control 1T. So il we can get
the people to elect two thirds leKIsla-
ture who can pass lava over the govern
or's veto. then that legislature can pass
all the laws necessary to setting up two
state governments and preventing any
clash or collision between them and the
territorial government. Then with
these state governments created and ell
ready to start. we can go to Springer and
say, Now. my fine fellow, get down or
sit still, just as you please. II you do
nothing our two state governments will
become de faoto and de jure govern
ments in thirty days after the next 4sh
OF March. Therefore you must set. II
you recognize US by law, we'll aud good.
Ii you decide to pass law to put us
down, just try te pass it. That's what
we want. When you do pass it, we will
obey, but in trying to pass it you will
kill the democratic party. You oannot
pass such law In any event In short,
this action, if we can get the people of
Dakota to take it, will make an issue
which congress must decide at once, and
to that issue there will be but one
decision possible"
The first duty OF the people of Dakota
under this project is the election OF o
legislature which will carry il out
and carry it over the
head of a hostile governor. This can
be done-ln fact Legislature unanimous
upon this proposition can be elected If
the people will concentrate their efforts
upon it and forget that there is anything
else to labor for until this is accom-
plished.
General Campbell always keeps a
little in the lead, What was called his
extreme doctrine OF few years ego has
been accepted by the people OF Dakota
and endorsed and adopted by the rspub.
iioan party of the nation. The public
has caught up with Campbell and he
moves on to another advanced position
The people have found that there is
nothing so alarming in his propositions.
They are good lew and hard sense and
practical solutions of difficulties which
can be solved in no other way. They
were startling at first because they were
new and they were new because no one
before General Campbell had taken the
pains to dig them cut and bunch them
together and place them before the
people. In the beginning his doctrine
was eombatted by the masses, because
the masses were timid. 1t Was COM
batted by some wise in legal lore be-
cause there was q chance for question
|of Interpretation and because eesin
Campbell was the discoverer. The Uol.
umbus OF a new idea must always suffer
criticism. But this wears itself ont.
The author of this doctrine has held
steadfastly to il, waiting for the people
to come up to him. He presents to day
the only solution OF the statehood prob
lem and 1t needs cnly his courage to
carry 1t into effect. A continuation OF
the Journal interview contains these
questions and answers:
would not there possibly be some
collision between these state govern
ments and the United States govern
ment?"
mo possible danger. We would not
interfere with any United States officer,
United States court or United States
Law. The only powers that our terrific.
rial officers have OF any importance are
those bestowed upon them by territorial
laws. What we have given them we
have power to take away from them.n
'Oould not the president OF the United
States interfere with you ?"
"Not by virtue of any law. He has
the physical power to use his army to
disperse the state legislature. He can
not arrest or imprison anybody. II he
feels like taking such step we will be
perfectly willing. Buchanan tried it In
Kansas. Grant tried it in Louisiana,
Each wrecked bis party by IL. Let
Cleveland try it il he wants to. That
would bring the very Issue we wish. I.
would result in the immediate estab-
lishment OF two state governments. No
one would resist his army"
In short, understand that your plan
would involve no exercise OF rights be-
yond the administration OF purely loca
government, and would not interfere
with the powers or duties OF United