St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-02
He Makes an Argument for
Division Before the House
Committee.
Judge Myers Engages in an
Inflammatory Speech in
the Same Direction.
Johnson Says He Has Blocked
the Politicians Game and
They Can Fire Away.
A Committee viii Be APP
pointed to Investigate the
Reading Strikes.
Special to the Globe.

Special TO the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-Delegate Gift
ford appeared before the house conf
mittee on territories at 1880 this morn
ing, and made an argument for division
and two states of North and South
Dakota. Judge Clifford reviewed the
history OF Daketa'S attempts to enter
the Union, the delays and opposition of
sorts encountered from foes within, as
well as without the boundaries of the
prairies. He told the committee that
the people have voted for division. have
held conventions of reputable repre-
sentative men, sent them here again
and again, always to be received with
Indifference and denialS. Referring to
the Aberdeen convention he told the
committee that there was nothing re-
sponSible behind that convention, that
1t had been anonymously called at first,
and afterwards the insurance and
lightning rod agents had secured the
territory to get SignerS to an authorized
call for 4 convention. Out of 995 al
legged delegates to that convention,
there were about 80 present at Alb
rioUS gentlemen present at the time.
and none OF them estimate the number
higher than POO except Col. Plummer,
who claimed so delegates. These
people
COME HERE WITHOUT AUTHORITY
from the citizens of Dakota. and merely
give the Democratic house an oppor-
tunity or occasion for an excuse to still
further deny the rights of Dakota. He
then showed by statistics that Dakota
is entitled 10 two states, the North
having population of 250,OO0 and the
South having over 100000. While the
business, schools, pOStoificeS, poStr0adS,
miles of railroads, large. well-estab-
liShed cities, counties and county seats
show both DakotaS to be better entitled
to statehood by all qualifications than
less worthy states having already rep
reSentatiOn upon the floors of congress.
He declared that the people of Dakota
are opposed to Springer bill, which he
characteriZeS as wrong in principle and
OnerOuS in its statements of alleged
facts concerning the territory. He said:
I'VE do Tot want our constitutional
convention to be engaged in the sale of
county seats and toWnSiteS, as would
certainly he the case
UNDER TIE SPRINGER BILL.
which diSmemberS all counties having
less than 5000 population at present.
Inside of few Years there will not be a
county in either Dakota with less than
from 5000 TO 10000 population. The
gentlemen who have been identified as
leaders of the movement for division of
the territory have been characterized as
self-Seeking politicians. but L tell you
they have been patriotic, and are to-day
as patriotic and statesmanlike as any
men who have ever lived upon the con-
tinent and glorified the name and fame
of American honor and integrity.
They are not here to speak for them
selves, but L am authorized to say that
each and every one of these distin-
guiShed and able gentlemen will will
ingly fOregO all hope and desire of self
interest, politically or otherwise. if they
can only see justice done to Dakota:
see her rights accorded her; see the two
grand states, for which their best labors
OF life have been given, standing upon a
par with the states of this Union.''
THE JUDGE ALSO OBJECTS
to that clause in the Springer bill which
requires another act of congress to let
Dakota in. The people ought not to be
required to run the political gauntlet
again. In reply to the statement of
Ordway Johnson that the delegates to
the constitutional convention were not
elected from ali the counties, particu-
Iarly from Dawson county. Judge Gift
ford said that the delegates were sent
from all counties with the exception of
two or three, and that the reason why
Dawson county sent none was that the
county commissioners would not give
the people chance TO vote on the sub
Ject, but last fall the people of Dawson
county took the matter in their own
hands and gave large majority for di-
vision. Certified engroSSed copies of
the proceedings of the constitutional
convention have been in the hands of
the house territorial committee for over
two years, and not word of criticism
or objection to them and their legiti-
macy and authenticity has ever been
made. Following Judge Clifford, Judge
Myers, of Huron. made an infiamma-
tory speech against the Aberdeen con-
ventiOn and all persons connected with
it. He
AsSALED ORDwAY JOHNSON
as 4 man who has been in all parties.
on all sides of the fences of all parties.
a Self-Seeking politician and wire-puller
and one WHO has caused ANNOYANCE 10
all reputable believers in the political
advancement and material prosperity
of Dakota. Then he paid similar COM
pliments to other gentlemen connected
with the one-state movement. Messrs.
Johnson, Mccoy, Purcell, Pettigrew.
King and Others listened, but said moth
ing. Several questions were asked
. back and forth by the commission and
the general sentiment was that too much
acrimOny was exhibited for the welfare
of either cause. Mr.. Johnson said after
wards: Il am used to being damned
and abuse runs off of my mind like wa
ter off ducks back. l don't care what
they say of me, and l guess my fellow
workers don't care either, so long as we
are able to stand i'll the way Of the ne
fariOus movement to dismember Da-
kOta. We have blocked the game of the
politicians and they may call me knave
and dub themselves patriots as much
and as long as they please, but we get
there just the same.''
Hon. l.. q. Johnson las lust COM
pleted and Will file with the house COM
mittee on territories tomorrow, a long.
complete and exhaustive rejoinder to
the arguments made to-day by Clifford
ard Myers.