National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-26
THE STATE OF DAKOTA.

Reports Made 60 the House Yesterday
Reasoning OF the Majority and Mi
nority.
Mr.. Springer, from the committee on ter
ritorics, yesterday presented to the House
the adverse report Of the majority Of that
committee on the Senate bill TO provide for
the admission OF the state Of Dakota into
the Union, and for the organization OF tue
territory Of Lincoln. The report saysi
1t cannot be said that the people of Dakota,
and especially of southern Dakota, are In favor
81 adm'tng nnso INC oaioh tnT b sou1nSrm pM,t
having in view the formation OF two states to
be carved out of the territory OF Dakota orig
mated In that territory. Congress has 10 no
way authorized or recognized II. The present
statehood movement in Dakota is without prec.
edent, and has no Just claim to the favorable
consideration of Congress. Congress may, in
its discretion, ratify proceedings taken by q
territory looking to It's admission to the Union
But until such ratification all such procedures
arc irregular and without binding force. The
question of whether the present territory Of Da-
kota is to be so divided as to Ivy the foundation
fortwo states to be admitted into the Union hero.
alter as one, Interests the people of all the
Dakota, The people Of the states have Just as
much right to have that subject submitted ~
them for their approval as have people Of the
territory. There nre already In the Union two
Dakota; the population OF Dakota certainly
does not entitle her TO be admitted into the
Union as two states IL would be manlfestly
unjust to all the people of the Union to carve
two states out OF the present territory of Da.
kota. 1t may safely be assumed that IL will
be many years before the territory will
reach the population OF $4,000, the average
population Of all the states, according to the
census OF 1850.
Chairman Hill, OF Ohio, submits minor
ity report In which, while disagreeing with
the reasoning Of the majority, he holds
that Dakota should not be admitted under
the Senate bill because all the people Of the
territory were not consulted fairly on the
question of division and the formation OF
a constitution for the proposed state. lie
believes that
IL is the duty of Congress to refer this ques.
ton Of the division'of the territory TO the full
vote of the people thereof, fairly ascertained
by proper legislation, after which Congress can
take proper steps to admit TO tue sisterhOod of
states Dakota as Northern Dakota when the
people of the two territories once established
have taken the proper steps to organiZc state
governments under the authority of enabling
acts submitted by Congress and subject to the
approval thereof
Another minority report is signed by
Messrs. Baker. Struble, Cooper, Hermann,
and symes. They respectfully submit:
That the people of Dakota are in favor of sd.
hitting TO the Union the southern part rs II
elutcs ENSls luCt JuSlilts uuu every COllSlhel-
alton demands and establishes beyond question
the claim and right of Dakota TO be immedi-
aiely admitted into the Union,
They submit that the majority have erred In
falling TO suggest any proposition by way of
amendment to the pending Senate bill by
which the people of Dakota may be conferred
their rights under the federal constitution to
admission as state. II has been suggested
that the Senate bill might be amended so as IN
provide for the submission of the constitution
to now vote of the people of Dnkota-a con.
dition which, though the subscribers conceive
TO be unjust, they may nevertheless accede u
by way of q compromise The minority then
propose amendments, the effects of which are
10 change slightly the lines of division from
the forty-sixth parallel of north latitude to the
seventh standard parallel of north latitude, and
propose the name of North Dakota, instead Of
Lincoln, for the territory not embraced within
the lines OF the new state. These suggestions,
they say, II adopted, would convert the Senate
bill into an enabling act pure aud simple
These are their suggestions only for the Object
sought, they say, and they close their report
with the expression OF their belief that II is the
constitutional right of the state of Dakota u
he adtAkttcd under the bill which has come t.
the House from the Senate, the passage o.
which they earnestly urge.