The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-01-25
ACCEPT THE SPRINGER BILL.

ACCEPT THE SPRINGER BILL.
1t will he a mistake of national con.
sequence if the republicans of the sen.
ate shall fail to ratify the omnibus
bill Of Mr.. Springer, for the admis.
sion of the territories, which passed
the house last week. That bill, we are
free to admit, is defective in princi.
pie and improper in some of its details.
1t is wrong to require any further de.
lay OH the part Of South Dakota, which,
is abundantly equipped for statehood
and has u constitution approved by
the people. 1t is both wrong and stu.
pid torequire another vote on division,
upon which the people of Dakota have
passed formally SO many times, and to
make tho consent of both sections es.
sential to the partition Of the terri.
tory. 1t Is wrong to throw obstacles
in The way of Montana and Washing.
ton. both clearly entitled to recogni.
ton at the earliest moment. 1t ia
worst of all to place upon equal footing
with these territories the province of
New Mexico. with its arid exl,anse of
uncertain resources. its sparse pnpula.
ton. and it's impartial development of
republican ideas, shown in the fact
that Spanish is still the prevailing
language, and the one generally taught
in the public schools.
All these features of the bill are mi.
mical to sense of decent justice and
to common sense; but they are the
hest that could he expected of Mr..
Springer and a democratic majority
in the house. And vet, notwithstand.
ing all, with u full realization of the
valid objections to the measure, it is
the obvious duty Of every republican
in the senate to vote for the passage.
There are two reasons for this
course. y minor one is found in the
demands of party policy.
But the najur reason for republican
assent is found in the urgency of the
case. There is a singular blindness
to consequences OH the part of those
who oppose the Springer bill. Men
who have seen Dakota waiting for
years. and who were prepared to wait
another year before republican
congress could afford relief. are now
up in arms because admission is no:
granted ut once. 1t is true that the
ammentlment providing immediate
admission for South Dakota should
have been added to the bill. But it
was not; and when you cannot get all
that you ought to have, it is sensible
to take all that you can get. The
prospects for the territories are bright.
est when the Springer bill shall have
been passed. by its terms, South
Dakota and Montana may he admitted
by executive proclamation, and their
representatives take their seat in con.
gress next December. The other ter.
ritories can, in the mean time, take
preliminary steps and he ready for adj
mission at the same time. And there
will be plenty of opportunity then to-
consider the case Of New Mexico. On
the other hand there is no possible
improvement OH this plan, if the
Springer bill is rejected, unless an ex.
ira session is called. 1t is known that
President Harrison is unfavorabie to
this. If lie should refuse to convene
congress, then not only the territories,
but South Dakota and Montana as
well, the whole batch of them, would
remain rs they IRE until 1890. Or, if
AL extra session is called, it is to lie
remembered that, until contested
cases are settled. the republican ma.
jority in the house is but seven. 1t
would be easy for the minority to pre-.
vent all action OH the territorial ques.
ton until the regular session. and to
fight it there. there is practically,
nothing to lie gained by rejecting the
Springer bill. If the president should
decline to order al extra session, or if
the democrats Of the new house should
prove head.strong about admitting
the territories, these long-suffering
communities would le actually worse
off, and would remain longer under
bondage than under the provisions of
the house bill. 1t cannot lie impressed
! too strongly upon republican senators
fffsnnl the west and the north. west that
their duty lies in u hearty support of
the Springer bill, with all it's imper.
fections OH its head, and that they
will incur Il weighty and unpleasant
responsibility if they assist in its de
feat.-Pioneer Press.
------------G
Merit Wins.
We desire to say to our citizens, that
for years We have been selling DR.. Kings
. New Discovery for Consum ption. DR.