The Helena independent., 1889-01-22
THE TERRITORIES RULERS
WRONGS WE HAVE SUFFERED.
Hon. j. X. Tooles Arrangement OF
Congress and His Glowing Tribute
to Montana's Greatness.

of Delegate Toole, as printed In the Con-
gressional Record, will be Of interest TO all
Montana ms as well MS to lovers Of home
rule;
We are twenty-four years old, out OF
debt, OF sound integrity, and good citizens.
our territorial pupilage, which is only a
stage OF training necessary to precede the
responsibilities of statehood, lustihes us In
putting aside the restraints OF territorial
government and assuming more import
ant place In the future. Like child
grown beyond the capacity of It's garments,
our pride is wounded and we are restive
under the promise OF more suitable habili-
ments We stand in many respects in the
same relation 10 the federal government
that child does TO It's parent OF n ward
does 10 It's guardian, but unhappily the
same principles are not applicable or We
might 20 into court OF equity ana get
immediate relief.
We are bound by the highest duty 10 ad-
nit these territories as soon as they are
qualified for statehood. We are republic
OF states and not of territories, and yet we
are fringed by despOusm. Our territories,
forming the border of the great northwest
and southwest, are dominated and con
Iolled by centralized power AT this capl-
tai which was never designed 70 continue
day longer than the necessity therefor eN-
isted. Professions Of sympathy no lorger
assuAge US, and no amount OF lnslncerlty
will hereafter put us aside. The brlei
time allotted me Is insufficient for recital
of our wrongs, but will venture 10 Inquire
tor moment what congress has done Tor
the territories. will answer for the bene-
fit OF those who care 10 know.
IL has given us a system OF courts inhe-
rently wrong, and which never can be
made suitable to large communities.
IL has regulated the number OF our
Judges, which Is grossly inadequate IN
every instance, resulting in the delay, and
In many eases the denial Of justice.
IL has arbitrarily fixed the time when our
local legislature shall meet and adjourn, 10
our great damage and Inconvenience.
IL has denied US the authority 10 call an
extra session of our legislature without the
consent of the president, adding untold
burdens to dependent people.
IL has reserved the right 10 inyalidate any
law which our legislature may pass, there.
by destroying that full faith and credit
which our Legislation ought TO command.
II has bound us hand and foot by law
which restricts these growing and ambi-
tious communities In the expenditure Of
money for public improvements.
Ii has declared what we shall teach In
our public schools and manifested Jack
of confidence in us In other Instances OF
legislation too numerous to mention.
II has attempted 10 stie our industries
by prohibiting US from selling our mining
properties In foreign markets, thus laying
upon us an embargo not borne by citizens
OF the states.
IL has exempted railroad and the inn
prOvements on its right of way for $50
miles In length from taxation, furnishing
another evidence Of the gross inequality Of
citizenship In and out of the territories.
IL has withheld from us dowry OF lands
which belong 10 our school iund and re-
fuses to give us any kind OF supervision or
control over IL until we become a state, and
then sets deliberately 10 work 10 prolong
the time when that event shall happen.
Ithas professed 10 give us a representative
In the lower house OF congress, but denies
20 us vote, the only element OF represen-
tation which gives character or influence
10 member.
IL has LETT us without any kind Of repre-
sentation In the senate and RENTS us 10 the
beggariy methods Of the lobbyists.
IL has imposed upon us, with an iron
hand, the obligations and burdens of citi-
zenship, while II witbholds It's correspond
ing benefits by steadily denying 70 us par
ticipation In the framing OF federal leRisla-
tion and the rights OF suffrage In national
elections.
II has refused 10 appropriate the salaries
provided by law for the hungry officials
whom il has been pleased 10 send us, and
compels them TO accept u measly sum in
full compensation, Notwithstanding an
0yerfowiDg treasury.
1t has refused 10 appropriate sufficient
money 10 extend the public surveys In the
territories, but has doled out annually its
hrlhlafa Nhteh has nl ham r.t
back into the treasury, leaving our boun-
daries underlined and our titles Insecure.
IL has failed 10 cause 10 be surveyed, Sc
lected and conveyed 10 the grantees the
lands falling 10 railroad grants in the terri
tories, as required by law, whereby mil
lions OF acres OF land owned by rich cor
porations escape taxation.
Ii has perslsteDtly refused 10 pass laws
by which timber or timber lands in the ter
ritories Except Washington) may be
leased or purchased, protesting, however,
10 give the right to actual settlers TO cut
and remove the same for domestic pur-
poses, while II has hedged In this privilege
with an odious and impracticable system
of rules and regulations which has resulted
IN harasslng our citizens with expensive
civil and criminal proceedings based
wholly upon the exparte statements 0f a
erouchlng and 0bs.quiUus special agent OF
spy, who has been Taught 10 believe that
his term Of Office will be measured by the
extent Of his activity in stirring up strife.
IL has, BY the organization of these ter
rltories, Invited settlement and occupancy
Of the frontier upon The promise and obliga-
ton that our persons and property should
be protected against depredati0Ds by hos
tile Indians. These promises have been
honored more In the breach than in the OBJ
servance, The history of our early settle
meDt Is red with the blood of the pioneers
who blazed the trails Of elvi izati0n In these
remote lands by the lurid light of their
burning homes, which went down In ashes
before the merciless savage. Millions Of
dollars OF unpaid claims, mlldewed by age,
growing out of these atrocities, are piled
up In the departments, while the heroes OF
those trOubl0us times, overcome with the
weight OF years and no longer able TO con-
quer their feelings, have gone TO join the
silent majority, leaving destitute widows
and orphans To keep alive before congress
the memory Of their trials and irlbulatiOns
Verify the cruelty OF congress cuts as
keenly as the scalping-knife or the toma.
hawk.
Early In this administration, and at the
beginning Of the FUrty-ninth congress,
endeayOred 10 remove the temptation 10
senators, representatives, and other politi-
clans 10 urge the importation Of officials
into the territory by giving 10 the platform
On Ahat ohblttt ibt rahttlbl VI
law. | introduced n bill containing this
single section:
That from and after the passage OF this
act no person shall be eligible for appoint
ment 10 any office under the laws Of the
United States In any territory Of the United
States now organized who at the time Of
his appointment is not qualified elector Of
the territory 10 which he is appointed.
The committee on territories, 10 whom IL
was referred, alter considering II for six
months, brought In the following elaborate
and exhaustive adverse report:
"Ths committee on the territories. 20
whom was referred the bill III. X. 2SSSl
concerning the appointment OF federal OF.
icials in the territories, beg leave TO re-
port:
''That, while believing that whenever
practicable the territorial Offices should be
filled by appointment OF persons who are
quilted electors Of the particular territory,
they think II would be unwise to require
by statute that this should be- done In all
cases. They therefore report adversely the
bill referred 10 them, and recommend that
il lie on the table"
IL is needless 10 remind you that IL has
continued to "lie on the table, In blissful
oblivion ever since. But while this bill
has remained In statu quo, The author Oi
the report accompanying II has been more
active. Less than two months ago he was
appointed chief-jnstlce Of Washington ter
ritory fIom the state Of Pennsylvania, from