Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-03
CONCLUSIVE AND CONVINCING.

EnUOreSLnenU OF the fFOtest Against
Hts Passage.
Judge Owen, OF De Smet, recently for.
warded to Hugh }. Campbell q letter
protesting against the passage of the
Springer admission bill, to be signed by
the statehood committee of which Judge
Owen and General Campbell are men,
bers, In replying to Judge Owen GEN
eral Campbell said:
Yankton, Dakota, Feb. LIST, 1855
Hon. Jno. A. Owen, Dear Sir: / ap.
prove of enclosed letter. Append my
name.
l would add. however, some sugges-
lions, which should be brought to the
attention of congress-:
lst-Ihe fraudulent nature of SSripg-
er's bill on Its face.
Ain being a plan to postpone adj
mission of Dakota as long as possible,
instead of TO admit as soon as possible.
BIN the number OF delegatts-75
This should be 3U0, or 200 at least, for
60O. 600 people.
ON the manner OF npportionment.
DIN the manner of districtine-25
districts, instead of by countless fraud
of worst kind.
Elm the persons to do the district
ing-governor. secretary and United
States attorney, q political job.
Fin the ratio, being 24e 600 voters
to q district, or 5000 to a delegate-in-
Sufficient, dangerous, preposterous and
undemocratic.
Gin making the returns on election
on constitution TO secretary OF territory,
governor and chief justice.
Hin giving only two representatives
IN congress to 600, 900 people, an out
rage to the whole west.
LIN making congressional districts,
In the act of congress. Should be left to
convention.
KIN not combining the exceptions as
to mineral lands, to mining districts,
leaving all the most valuable school Sec
tionr, in the agricultural part OF the
state which may contain stone quarries,
OF clay or gravel pits. and the like,
open to contest as mineral lands.
This n provision will lose miliiors
OF dollars to the school fund.
LIN not placing the appropriation
OF twenty thousand dollars at the dis
posal OF the convention.
Mn the unprecedented and uncon-
stitutional provision that the constitu-
tlon and state government shall remain
in allegiance until congress admits; thus
enabling congress to postpone statehood
indefinitely.
Statehood is what we need and have e
right to. Admission may come as it
may.
Such q provision was never before
made by congress.
T"E -.
Mn abolishing organized counties
against the interests of the people.
DIN requiring q special act of con-
gress to make us o state, after the en-
abling act, and after the adoption of the
constitution and election of state off.
GERS.
This was never done in the history of
the United States before
1t is a new and dangerous departure,
from the old ways of the fathers.
It is o tyrannical and insulting act OF
despotism.
1t ie a denial of the constitutional
right of self government which belongs
to the people.
Pin continuing in force for all time
all present laws OF the legislature. Ex-
Dept es repealed by the constitution.
This absurd, unheard of provision,
seems to be the special invention Of
Springer and the Bismarck gang.
1t is worthy Of it's parentage.
No such provision was ever made by
congress as to a territory.
The schedule OF the constitution is the
place where such provisions always are
and should be made.
The state legislature should be given
power by the schedule. to change, modi-
fly or repeal all territorial laws, in their
discretion.
This is an attempt to introduce q new
rule, which can only be a breeder of
trouble.
1t looks like a job.
The bill is as full of fraud as an egg is
of meat.
1t should be shown up.
Many honest democrats will be SO
ashamed OF 1t, that they will vote against
it.
Not a bakers dozen of men in Dakota
will approve of the bill, after they see
what it is.
2od-Tbe letter, in my Judgment,
should also set forth some of the most
trying evils which our people are suffer
Ing, from a denial OF self government.
A-Denisl of justice in the courts.
B-Orippling Of all enterprises and in
ustries.
O-OntraReous legislation-publlc ex-
aminer bill, militia bill, and the like.
D-Loss of money in interest.
Taxes.
Insurance rates.
Checks to immigration.
Want OF control of sour own resources,
&c.
E-Deprivation of our rightful voice
in congress es to our proper share of the
national improvements Of the great
water ways.
3rd--The letter should ask our friends
in congress to take the manly and consti.
tutional stand, that if congress for
political or other fraudulent purposes,
refuses to do its duty by us at this ses-
sion, they will stand by our people next
summer in taking this matter into their
own hands, and relieving themselves,
by the law making power that is in their
own hands.
I've should say boldly and frankly,
that unless our injuries are redressed We
will take steps next summer that will
make the Dakota question q national
question in the presidential election.
We will appeal from congress, the ad-
ministration and the dominant party, to
the American people.
And to make this appeal effective we
will not hesitate to take ell responsible
ties and use ell the powers in our hands,
be they what they may.
5-Of course l approve u%ncondition-
ally your statement that the people Of
south Dakota will never submit to being
dragged il as one state. They have ex-