Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-01-09
A U IN NAMES.

WV ht NHtGS
The Roll Call of the S;a'es shows some
Good and Some Bad-An Argument
Against the Prefix.
Minneapolis Tribune: The great
e oup OF corumonwealths which compose
. g United States is as a whole very for
runate in its roll OF names. They have
ut once q flavor of the soil, and q fitness
10 their place and use, which constitutes
high excellence. In general, tney have
q dignity, melody and character adapt
ing them for familiar use, and they have
beyond a doubt helped to cultivate the
patriotic and loving sentiments with
of good citizens.
The best by far, as we'll as the most
numerous, are those which are in
%digenous. Whatever the fats of the In.
dian race may be, it has contributed to
American civilization a fund of names,
sure to be perpetuated and priz ID more
and more, and those which have been
appropriated by the states are amenS
she best. They are msiodious and fine,
and ii there is here and there q harsh
ooMoahostoup 40 III AOuueCtlCut anu
Massachusetts, time and use have
smoothed the roughness and made them
favorites. Nothing could be better thar
Alabama. Dakota, Idaho, Kentucky,
Nebraska, Ohio and Oregon; and il any
reader wishes to extend this list, by add
ing his W favorite name or that OF his
native state. he can do SO freely and
safely. There is not o name OF the thirty
1 nf pafiua orynin rphSoh rro n1plA -:ll.--
ly spare or change. There are three
names of native growth, though moi of
Indian origin, which are felicitous and
worthy of their place-Indiens, Montana
and Vermont.
Il 10 scarcely to be regretted that q
small contingent OF these names has been
Transformed and transported from
Europe. They furnish an agreeable
variety, and most OF them are worthy OF
the august uss to which we have put
them. Naturally there are among the
older names adopted before the fathers
were emancipated from q long lingering
hall. Inconsistencies IN the western
wilderness, and while in frequent contest
and constant dread of the Indians, they
were scarcely prepared to appreciate the
beauty and nobility OF the nsmes with
which the red men had enriched their
rivers. lakes and mountains. Hence ten
OF the original thirteen names belong to
the European group. Louisiana has q
pleasant suggestion in her name OF her
history, and Georgia, Name, Maryland,
Caroline and Virginia as have q
historic flavor which enhances their
value. The poorest OF our state names
ere the three which transport names of
English counties. good in their place,
and distinguish them by the prefix New.
New Hampshire would have been far
better as Ohocura. Laconis or Merrimac,
and 1t ls not less han q national mis-.
fortune that .he empire state was NOT
ennobIed by the splendid name Ontario.
1t was left for wiser neiRhbors on the
north to appropriate this fine word, to
which our title was of the best. The
duplication of the same name, New
Yosk, for both the state and her great
city ia especially infelicifous, producing
confusion when it is o avoided by in
convenient circumlocution. All which
AZ the more to ha regretted. when SO fine
q nane as Manhattan awaited appro-
priation to the island city. II only We
had the state of Ontario and the city OF
Manhatteni
Our roll OF states is yet far from com.
plete and other names wait 3or o place
IN splendid galaxy II is to be hoped
that We may be as fortunate in the fu-
tnre as in the past, and that we shall be
wise enough to avoid repeating any OF
the errors we have made. If Dakota is to
be divided let us have no North or South
or West Dakota. IL ia bad enough that
these objectionable adjectiyea haYe once
been given q place; the confusion and
inconvenience would be much more than
doubled ii the error we're repeated, and
We owe 1t to our children's children to
save them from the intiiction. It would
be all the more inexcusable when q name
40 good as Pembina belongs to the
region and waits for such use. II has the
making OF n OF our best names. Gen
tleman OF Dakota and of congress, will
You look to this?
New Mexico 10 also unfortunate in the
use OF the adjective. This may have
become Zoo well established for change
but ii possible, il lie greatly TO be desired
that before it comes to the dignity of
statehood, relief should be found in
some good name for the state, in which
the failure can find more satisfaction,
How would Aztec do? And Washington
should be changed to Tacoms. So far,
unless Pennsylvania be q partial oxcep-
ton, no pereonal names in on " his.
tory has been accorded the t~ranscendent
distinction appropriation to o state. The
wisdom OF this reserve can scarcely be
doubted. and we should hesitate to re-
peal an unwsittsn Law which has served
as so well. II Washington, then Lincoln
and Grant. and then whom? The anality
OF our capital roll OF names will suffer il
it is brought down TO such que stions as
there, and we shall do we'll 80 nhide by
the traditions Of the past in 30 important
Q matter. Tacoma. too. is o name so ex-
oafiens as strongly TO invite such sdop-
tion.
when dread diaeBae. with iron hind