St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-12
SOUTH DAKOTA FAVORED
BY the Senate Committee for Admis
sion Into the Union.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE report Of
the senate committee on territories, to ac-
company the bill for the admission of the
state OF Dakota into the Union and the or
ganization of the territory of Lincoln. re-
ported by Senator Harrison to-day, covers
more than one hundred pages Of manuscript
IN addition to its volumlnOus printed ap-
pendices. 1t says the main proposition of
the Dill II that the proceedings taken by the
people OF that part of the present territory
Of Dakota lying south Of the 10th parallel
Of north latitude. which resulted in the
adoption Of a constitution by popular vote
on the Sd day OF November. 1885, shall be
ratified and accepted by congress and the
state OF Dakota be admitted to the Union
on an equal footing with other states. The
report gives the history of the movement
for the organization of the new state from
the passage Of the act by the territorial legis-
latuTe authorizing the Sioux Falls cOnyen-
ton 10 the present time. The report saws:
1t is not claimed that this act OF the legis-
lature was necessary preliminary 10 the
holding OF a constitutional convention and II
IL were admitted that il had no legal force
whatever, and the proceedings which fol-
lowed are 10 be treated as purely popular
still IL gave TO the people the machinery nee
essary for the expression OF the popular will
III al OFucrlF ana euGctlNe way. The con-
yentons which framed the constitutions of
Iowa. Michigan, Florida, Oregon and perhaps
older states. were called aud held under acts
OF the territorial legislature.
The journal Of the proceedings Of the
convention is alluded to as giving evidence
OF a high degree of intelligence. public
spirit and industry. The submission of the
constitution in accordance with the ordi-
nance Of the convention to the vote of the
electors is described, resulting In the adOp-
ton OF the constitution by majority OF 1856
TO 81, making il clear in the opinion of the
senate committee that an overwhelming
majority Of the people Of South Dakota APP
prove the constitution, and desire present
admission into the union of the states
under it.
Having sketched the history of the gov
eminent which resulted i'm the formation of
the constitution, the committee proceeded to
bring TO the attention of the senate some IA
miliar facts connected with the earlier
efforts Of the people of Dakota TO secure
the division of the territory and form a
state government for South Dakota. The
report considers one of the most important
questions presented for discussion 10 be
whether the steps taken by the people of
Dakota for the purpose OF securing adj
mission into the Union are conformable to
the constitution OF the United States and to
the precedent in such cases and expressive
OF the will of the people. and cites dozen
or more recent cases. quoting extensively
from the recent debates I'm congress. and in
the light OF the precedent and authorities
cited, concludes that no Just criticism can
be made Of proceedings taken BY the people
of South Dakota, nor any of the methods
by which they can have brought their re-
quests to the attention of the senate.