National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-12


ythc Committee on Torritorios-proo-
cdents for the Proposed Immediate
Reception of the New Commonwealth.
Soon after the opening Of Yesterdays
session Of the Senate Mr.. Harrison, In be-
half Of the committee on territories, pre-
scented q report favoring the admission Of
the proposed new state Of South Dakota.
No minority report was made, but Senator
Butler gave notice that he reserved the right
to present one If, after having examined
the report of the committee, he deemed it
advisable to do so. Thereport provides for
the admission Of that part of Dakota lying
south Of the 10th parallel into a state, lclv-
ing that part lying north Of the parallel
named to constitute the territory OF Lin
coin. The report is very elaborate cover
ing over 100 pages Of manuscript In addi-
tion to ifs voluminous induces.
II says the main proposition Of the bill is
that the proceedings taken by the people Of
that part Of the present territory of Dakota
lying south of the 4Gth parallel of north
latitude, which resulted In the adoption of
a state constitution by popular vote on
the Sd day Of November, 1885, shall be ac-
copied aud ratified by Congress, aud the
state Of Dakota he admitted to the Union
upon an equal footing with the other states.
The report gives the history of the move
ment for the organization Of the new state,
from the passage OF the act by the terri
tOIial legislature authorizing the Sioux
Falls convention to the present time.
IL is not claimed, the report says,
that this act of the legislature was
a necessary preliminary to the holding
Of constitutional convention, and IL It
were admitted that it had no legal force
whatever, and the proceedings which fol-
lowed are to be treated rs merely popular,
still II gave to the people the machinery
necessary for the expression of the popular
will in an orderly and effective way. The
conventions which framed the constitu-
tions Of Iowa, Michigan, Florida, Oregon,
and perhaps other states, the report SAYS,
were called and held under acts of the ter
ritorlal legislature. The Journal Of the pro-
ceedings Of the convention is alluded to us
giving evidence OF high degree Of intelli-
gence, public spirit, and industry.
The submission OF the constitution, In
accordance with the ordinance Of the con-
vention, to the vote of the electors is fully
described, resulting In the adoption of the
constitution by majority of lS5,66l, max
ing 1t clear in the opinion of the Senate
committee that an overwhelming majority
OF the people OF South Dakota approve the
constitution and desire present admission
into the Union Of states under IL, who are to
live under II, and 1t meets their wishes a1d
wants. IL is not the province of Congress
to frame constitutions for new states. In
some cases Congress hes authorized the
President to announce by proclamation the
admission of q state II he found the consti-
tuition adopted to be republican In form and
to contain certain articles of compact slip
ulated for In the enabling act. In such cases
the state constitution was, of course, never
laid before Congress. In this case all the
usual stipulations In the nature of q com
pact with the United States are incorpo-
rated In the constitution, which is itself
embodied In the report.
Having sketched the history OF the move
ment which resulted in the formation of
the constitution, the committee proceeds to
bring to the attention OF the Senate some
facts connected with the earlier efforts Of
the people Of Dakota to secure the division
of the territory and form a state govern
ment for South Dakota.
AS early as january, 1871, q memorial
was unanimously adopted by the territorial
| legislature praying Congress to divide on
the 46th parallel the territory and organize
two territorial governments. In 1872 an
Other. similar memorial was adopted, the
| vote in the council, being unanimous and In
the house 81 to 4. Again In 1874 a memo
rial was adopted unanimously In the house
and by vote of IL TO ! In the council pray
ing for division and the organization OF the
northern portion into the territory of Penn
bina. In 1881 q memorial was adopted
| praying for a division into three territories
| In February, 1856, still another memorial
| asked for division upon the 10th parallel
and the admission OF South Dakota. This
memorial referred to the bill which passed
the Senate In the forty-cighth Congress
| II declared that although the people Of all
| Dakota were unanimously in favor of the
admission of the southern half as a state,
still they would hail with joy division only,
and If asking for admission would in any
manner delay division they prayed for d.
vision without admission.
In the winter of 1898 bill was passed
with practical unanimity by the territorial
| legislature providing for n convention to
form constitution for South Dakota, but
1t failed TO receive the approval of the
governor and did not become law, A
popular movement was then inaugurated,
resulting in the Sioux Falls convention OF
1888 which framed q constitution. The
constitution was adopted by popular
vote, AID, with memorial praying for adj
mission, was presented to the Senate of the
United States on Feb. Is, 1884. In addition
to these more formal expressions OF the pop
lar win of the people of Dakota, the pollti-
Cul COuNeullOub Ol DOlI lub BTtuJ
parties have repeatedly declared In favor OF
division, and some Of them in favor of the
admission Of the south half as a state; and
the territorial press has very generally
voiced the same desire. There has been no
division upon party lines, Democrats as well
as Republicans having taken part in all the
movements described.
"Two questions, the report continues,
"are now presented for decision-frst, are
the steps taken by the people Of Dakota
for the purpose OF securing admission into
the Union conformabe to the constitution
of the United States and TO the precedents
in such cases and expressive Of the will OF
the peopleY and, second, do the necessary
conditions exist in the case of Dakota as to
area, productive capacity, population, and
the loyalty and good disposition of the peo'
pleW
In dealing with these questions the com
mittee discusses eXhaustlvely the policy OF
the government from the adoption Of the
constitution and the precedents. The
policy of the United States, 1t declares, has
been TO encourage the settlement of public
lands lying outside the boundaries Of the
states, and to organize the communities
thus formed into states as soon as the
requisite population was found within q
suitable area. Territorial governments
were always regarded as formative aud
temporary, TO be superseded by state gov
ernments as soon as the necessary condi'
tiOns exist.
Referring to the ordinance of 1887 the re-
port declares 1t was a wise and benellcent
compact. 1t guaranteed certain rights to
the people who should settle the western
Wilderness, and among the most valuable
Of these was the right TO form state gov
eminent and to be admitted on terms OF
equality TO the Union Of the states. Without
stopping to discuss whether one Of the
states contemplated by the ordinance could
become de iure and de facto a state with
out the sanction of Congress, the committee