Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-05-26
THE MINORITY.


Representative Baker Makes n Report
In Favor OF the Ill nrrisOn Bill, with
Amendments.
Washington, May 24-Representative
Baker, of New York, from the house
committee on territories, will tomorrow
submit the minority report on the
Harrison bill to divide Dakota and
admit tho southern half to statehood.
The report is lengthy and remarkably
strong, and, among many other things
says:
The minority respectfully submit that
the people of Dakota, and especially
of south Dakota, are IN favor Of admit
ting into the union the southern part as
a state; that every fact justities, and
every consideration demands and sstab-
fishes beyond question:, the claim Of Da-
kota to immediate admission into the
union. We beg to submit that the ma
jority have erred in failing to suggest
any proposition by way of amendment
to the pending senate bill, by which the
people of Dakota may be afforded their
rights, under the federal constitution, to
admission.
1t has been suggested that the senate
bill might, by proper amendment, be
submitted to new vote of the citizens
of Dakota-a condition which, though
the subscribers conceive it to be unjust,
they might, nevertheless, accede to by
way of o compromise; and in order to
meet objections made by the honorable
members of the committee, We beg leave
to submit the following amendment, if
the house shall be disposed to adopt or
consider the same, to the end that the
fullest justice may be accorded to the
people of that state.
| These amendments, it will be observed,
slightly change the line of division from
tho forty. sixth parallel OF north latitude
| to seventh standard parallel, and pro-
| pose the name of "North Dakota" IN
stead of Lincoln" to the proposed new
territory not embraced within the
| bounds OF the new state.
| These suggestions, if adopted, would
otherwise, In effect, convert the senate
bill into an enabling act pure and SIM
BILE provided, however, thst before the
| force, so far as it is an act ad-
mitting the state of Dakota
| into the Union OF states, separate pro.
position thereof shall be again submit
ted to vote of the qualified electors el
the state in the manner provided for IL
the scheduie of said constitution. which
election shall be held on the 1st Tuesday
in September, 1886. If o majority Of
ballots cast at said elcation shall be il
favor of tie adoption of constitution
then this act shall take effect and the
state shall be deemed admitted on the
1st day of October, 1886. TX majority
of the ballots cast at such election shall
be against the adoption @ fa constitution
then this act shall cease to have furth O.
effect and tho state shall not thereby bt
admitted into the union, and the effect o
the election on the adoption or rejectio
of the separate propositions shall be tn,
same as though no previous election hat
been had thereon; but this shall no
Affect the former vote had upon location
: of the temporary seat of the govern
mont of the state.
: And provided further, that on the ls
Tuesday of September, 1856, there shal
be an election held throughout the pres
ent territory of Dakota, whereat ther'
t shall be submitted to the qusllfie,
voters of the territory the questio
whether they favor division of tn
, territory upon the seventh standar
na aral Hal