The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-24
THE DAKoTAS' CLAIM TO STATEHOOD.
Territory for Two States Each with
Two Representatives,
Kept out for Eight Years by Demo-
cratic Opposition.
mr.. Breckenridge Said Wait Until
After CIeveIand's Reelection.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-There are indica-
tions that the Democratic leaders in Con-
gress will make virtue of necessity and
yield a reluctant and unwilling co,.sent to
legislation for the admission into the Union.
as states, of several territories which have
been kept out for partisan reasons. But the
Democrats will strive at the same time to
save something from the political wreck by
insisting upon the admission Of New Mexico
along with Dakota, Washington and Monta-
ma. and preventing the division of the terri
tory first named. The Democratic idea of a
compromise" has been always to surrender
at the last moment, and then get the best of
the bargain. Al haif century ago progress
siye Michigan was kept out of the Union un
til backward Arkansas was admitted on
equal terms, although the representative
population of the latter, including slaves,
was only 5000, while the free white popula-
tion of the former was 65, ,00o or exactly one
quarter greater.
Dakota was entitled to admission eight
years ago, and when the Republicans were
in control in the XLVlIth Congress legisla-
tion to that end was attempted, but it was
defeated by Democratic flibustering. In the
last six years the Democratic majority in the
House has been deaf, not only to Dakota, hut
to Washington as well, simply because it
was feared that both would be Republican.
In the last Congress. and during the first
session of this Congress, Chairman Spring
er, of the committee on territories, whenever
approached on the subject, would say, with
shrewd leer:
"Oh, Dakota can wait until after Cleye-
lands reelection. There will not be any
more new states until after 1885,"
Well, DAB ota probably will not wait sun
TIL after Cleveland's reelection" AT the
last session false pretehce of doing justice
to the territories which were fit for state
hood was offered by the Democratic majority
OF the territorial committee in the form of
an omnibus" bill looking to the simultane-
GUS admission of Dakota, Montana. Wash
Ing ton and New Mexico, the theory being
that Montana and New Mexico would be
surely Democratic, and Washington proba-
bly, so. The proposition to divide Dakota,
which clearly is entitled to admission as two
states, would not have received vote last
winter in the Democratic caucus which ruled
the House at the pleasure of Carlisle, Mills
and the Breckenridges. Probably the Dem
0crats will continue to resist 1t, and the SOM
nihus". bill, which was sent to the rear last
winter to make way for the Oklahoma bill,
will be urged. The Republican Senate can
not agree to that measure. 1t stands thor
oughly committed not only to the division Of
Dakota, but to the principle that the claims
of each territory to admission must be sepa-
rately considered, and approved or rejected
ON their own merits. That part of Dakota
territory north Of the 10th parallel Of north
latitude, commonly styled North Dakota,
contains a population of about 265, 900, and
the part south Of that parallel, commonly
styled South Dakota, contains population
of about 303,000 Under the existing ratio
of apportionment, each would be entitled to
two representatives in Congress and four
electoral votes for President and Vice Presi-
dent. In the election of 1886 North Dakota
cast 36. .024, and South Dakota 63040 votos-
making total of 99,064 yotes-to elect del
egate to Congress, who may speak but not
vote in that body.