Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1886-12-24
THE SPRINGER BILL.
A Bill to Enable Dakota, Montana,
Washington and New Mexico to
be Admitted Into the Union.
The Introduction of the Bill the Out
Come of a Conference by the
Democrats of the House.
The Springer Bill.

Democrats OF the House.
The Springer Bill.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. %. - The
following is the text of the Springer
bill for the admission of Dakota and other
is the outcome of conference by the dem
ocrats of the house, and the bill is likely,
therefore, to pass that body within short
time. 1t will then go to the senate, where
it will be amended and returned to the
house to die-if the amendments prove OBJ
noxious to the controlling spirits of that
body:
A bill to enable the people of Dakota,
Montana, Washington and New Mexico
to form constitutions and state govern
ments, and to be admitted into the union
on an equal footing with the original
states:
Be it enacted by the senate and house of
representatives of the United States of
America in congress assembled:
[SEC defines the boundaries of the pro-
posed states.
SEC. g. That all persons residing within
the limits of said proposed states, qualified
by the laws of said territories to vote for
representatives to the legislative assem-
blies thereof, are hereby authorized to vote
for and choose delegates to form conven-
ton in each territory; and the qaulifca-
dons for delegates, to such conventions
shall be such as by the laws of said terrific
ries respectively persons are required to
possess to be eligible to the legislative as
semblies thereof;s and the afore-
said delegates to form said conven-
tions shall be apportioned among the
several Sc, counties within the limits Of
tricts as are hereinafter provided, in pro-
portion to the population in each of said
counties and districts, as near as may be,
to be ascertained at the time of making
said apportiOnments by the persons here
matter authorized to make the same from
the best information obtainable; that said
apportionments shall be made by the gov;
States attorney of each of said territories,
ar any two of them; and the governor Of
each territory shall, by proclamation, order
an election Of the delegates aforesaid to be
held on the Tuesday next after the first
Monday in November, 1884, which procla-
nation shall be issued at least ninety days
prior to the time of said elections: and such
elections shall be conducted, the returns
made. the result ascertained land the certifi-
Gates to persons elected to such conventions
issued in the same manner as is prescribed
by the laws of the said territory regulating
elections therein for delegates to congress-.
The number of delegates to said conven-
all persons resident in said proposed states
who are qualified voters of said territories
under the laws thereof shall be entitled to
vote upon the election of delegates, and
upon the ratification or rejection of the
constitutions, under such rules and regula-
tions as said conventions may prescribe.
Sec. 8. That the persons hereinbefore
authorized shall divide said proposed states
into thirty-three election districts, In each
of which districts three delegates to the
said constitutional convention shall be
elected. In voting for such delegates each
qualified voter may vote for not exceeding
two persons, and the candidates highest in
votes shall be declared elected.
Sec. 4. That the districts in which dele
gates to the constitutional conventions are
to be elected shall be formed of contiguous
and compact territory, bounded by county
lines, and contain as nearly as practicable
an equal number of inhabitants, according
to the census of 1885, or the latest enumer-
alton of the inhabitants thereof; but no dis
trict shall coutain less than fOur-tifths of the
ratio required for three delegates. Coun-
ties containing not less than the ratio and
three-fourths may be divided into separate
population may require.
SEC. 5. That the delegates to the con-
ventions thus elected shall meet at the seat
of government of each of said territories
on the second Tuesday of January, 1883,
and after organization shall declare, on be-
that they adopt the. constitution Of the
United States; wherenpon the said conven-
tions shall be and are hereby authorized to
form constitutions and state governments
for said proposed states respectively: Pro-
vided, That the constitutions shall be re-
publican in form, and make no distinction
in civil or political rights on account of
race or color, except as to Indians not
taxed, and not be repugnant to the consti-
tuition of the United States and the princi-
pies of the Declaration of Independence:
And provided further, That said conven-
tions shau provide, by ordinances lrrevoc-
able without the consent Of the United
States and the people of said states, first,
that perfect liberation of religious senti-
ment shall be secured, and that no inhabi-
tant of said states shall ever be molested in
person or property on account of his or her
mode of religious worship; secondly, that
the people inhabiting said proposed states
do agree and declare that they forever dis
claim all right and title to the unappropri-
ated public lands lying within the bOunda-
ries thereof, and to all lands lying within
said limits owned or held by any Indian or
Indian tribes; and that until the title there
to shall have been extinguished by the
United States, the same shall be and re-
main subject to the disposition of the
United States, and said Indian lands shall
remain under the absolute jurisdiction and
control of the congress of the United
States; that the lands belonging to citizens
of the United States residing without the
said states shall never be taxed at higher
rate than the lands belonging to residents
thereof; that no taxes shall be imposed by
the states on lands or property therein be-
longing to or which may hereafter be pnr-
chased by the United States or reserved for
herein, or in the ordinances herein pro-