St. Paul daily globe., 1889-04-13
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BIRTR OF THE STATES.

LII HldIiS respects the unWrltLen clap-
tiers of our national history are the
most interesting, and of these there are
none more so than those which relate
to the birth of the states. We do not
refer to the thirteen colonies who
formed the original framework Of the
federal union. but we allude to those
which came up through the trials of
territorial vassalage into the glorious
sovereignty of statehood. There is a
public record Of the birth of each, and
of the congressional action relating to
their admission. But the unwritten
history, and by far the most interesting,
is that which concerns the work that
was done quietly, and for the most part
secretly, by those who were laboring to
secure statehood for the territories, and
of the numerous trials and yexations
which beset their progress toward in
dependent sovereignty.
The GLOBE was particularly inter
ested in conversation a few days ago
with eX-Gov. ORDWAY, in which that
gentleman related the incidents in de-
tail of the fight he and his associates
made for the Dakotas, and the peculiar
complications which entangled the
whole question of territorial admission
as it was presented to the last congress.
The coupling of New Mexico with the
other territories i'll Mr.. SPRINGER'S ON
nibus bill was one of the particularly
embarrassing situations in the fight.
and the persistency with which some of
the South Dakota representatives held
on for the unqualified recognition of the
Sioux Falls constitution and state GOV
ernment was the other most perpley-
ing feature. 1t became apparent early
inthe struggle that, unless both of these
troublesome factors were eliminated
from the contest, there was alb
solutely no show for admission from
that congress. With the Republicans
in control of one branch of congress.
and the Democrats in the majority in
the other, it looked to be a superhuman
effort to get these two troublesome
features out of the way. There had
never been q time in congress when par
tisan politics did not control question
of territorial admission, and there was
nothing to justify the belief that the
Fiftieth congress would be an exception
in this respect. The country had Just
emerged from an exciting political cam
paign, and the emberS of partisan rancer
were in full glow. There was very
strong temptation to the Republican
sen ate to postpone action on territorial
admission until the next congress. in
order that the Republican party might
rpan all thQ plor,ac rrbaro ,,-o. -.
equally strong temptation to the Dem
ocratic majority in the house of repre-
sentatives to exercise their power in
securing for the Democratic party the
little moiety of advantage that was to
be expected from New Mexico's admis-
sion.
These. in brief, were the discourage
ments which faced the gentlemen who
had gone to Washington to officate as
midwives at the birth of the Dakotas.
10 all human appearances it was case
of false conception; or, at best, the
chances were for still-birth. But. on
the principle that there is nothing done
without trying, the political obste-
tricians went to work with a faith and
an earnestnesS that seldom character
ICES such performances, aRd as a glori-
Gus reward for their patient endeavors.
there was quadruple delivery of the
fairest and buXomest youngsters ever
born into the federal family.
We cannot, without betrayal of per-
sonal confidence, rehearSe all the Incl
dents connected with the inside work of
this remarkable feat of statemaking:
but we do insist that, at their conven-
ience, Gov. ORDwAY and his associates
should add an interesting chapter to
our national history by making public
all the details of their Washington cam
paign in behalf of Dakota statehood.
There is one striking fact, however, to
which we wish to direct attention. 1t is
that for the first time in our national
existence congress rose above the hori-
zon of partisan politics in its considera-
ton of the claim of a territory for ad-
mission. This is a distinguished record
for the Fiftieth congress, that none of
its predecessors ever made, and proba-
bly, none of its successors will duplicate.