Wessington Springs Herald

DAKOTA

How the Difficulties in the way of Statehood Can be Overcome.

An Interview with Hon. R. F. Pettigrew

How can expenses be met?

"In many of the counties the means is being provided by subscriptions. In others the county commissioners are using the regular election machinery, and will pay the cost out of the county funds, for which scrip will be issued and tax raised when necessary. For the constitutional convention and subsequent expenses the convention will issue scrip binding upon the future State. Where the counties have incurred expense they will become the creditors of the State."

"What will you do with this scrip finally?"

"Levy tax and pay it?"

"How will the state machinery get started?"

"It is very simple. The counties, as I told you, will elect delegates to the constitutional convention. The convention will frame a constitution and provide for all the machinery of a state—in fact, organize and create a State. At the November election we shall submit the constitution for ratification to the people of the State. If it is ratified we shall take it to Congress. If Congress refuses to admit, we shall proceed in the spring to exercise our rights as a State, and Congress can do nothing except to deny us representation on the floor of the National Legislature. We shall elect a Governor and State officers, a State Legislature, establish a Supreme and Circuit Court, and go ahead."

"What will become of the Governor and Secretary of State appointed for you by the President?" "We shall oust them." "How, pray?" "They will have nothing to do. We shall not recognize Governor Ordway, because we shall have a Governor of our own, which we have elected. We shall fail to elect a Territorial Legislature, but choose a State Legislature instead. There will be not only no Territorial Legislature, but we shall repeal every law passed during the existence of the Territory. The Territorial Governor, Secretary, Auditor, Treasurer, and the courts will have no laws to execute. We shall appoint the present Territorial judges of our own Supreme Court. No business will be brought before them except in their capacity as State officials. The federal plunderers who have been sent out here to rob us will simply have nothing to do, because no one will approach them on official business. Now, you see how we propose to set up for ourselves. We will in this way oust the Territorial officers and courts, but will not interfere with the United States District Attorney, United States Marshal or the land offices. Ordway and his crowd may go back to the East."

"What grievance have you to justify the revolution?"

"We pay higher taxes now than any State in the Union. We are assessed 3 1/2 mills on the dollar. A law has been passed exempting from taxation all the railroad lands and all town sites. The legislature has provided for seven normal schools, two universities, and one agricultural college, all heavily endowed. They made double sets of all endowed institutions simply to get the patronage for the Governor to dispose of among his friends. So, in addition to the educational institutions I have named we have two Penitentiaries and two insane asylums. Over fifty useless offices—fat places—have simply been created to give away, and the Territory is taxed to pay the fiddler."

"Was there ever such a scheme as you propose peacefully carried out?"

"Oh, yes; Michigan for fourteen months was a State, and her people lived under State laws enacted by themselves. Public sentiment was so strong that the Federal officials did not dare to interfere. The finest oration ever delivered by James Buchanan was in defense of this action of Michigan. Every Democrat in Congress, except Calhoun, espoused her cause. You remember the course of Kansas so gallantly defended by Charles Sumner. Vermont for fourteen years acted as an independent State before it was recognized in Congress, having seceded from New York. Dakota people are as determined to be free as were the Green Mountain men who made the New York officials run for their lives. At the caucus in Yankton to elect county officers between 400 and 500 votes were cast. We know what we want, and are bound to have it. If a people numbering 300,000, a constituency large enough for two representatives in Congress, south of the 46th parallel, are not qualified to make their own laws when will we be? We have 1,600 miles of railroad, 125 newspapers, three colleges, 1,200 school houses and 300 churches. This is a condition of society ready for self-government and we intend to administer our own affairs. If the Federal authorities don't like it what are they going to do about it?"

"How are the political parties divided on the question?"

"There is no politics in it. We are no longer Republicans or Democrats. We are Dakotans."