The Delta independent., 1888-12-25
MAKING NEW STAT ES.
Dakota, Montana, Washington and
New Mexico Invited Into
the Union.


WASHINGTON, D. C. Dec 15.-In
accordance with the expressed intention Of
the Democratic caucus OF last Thursday
night to support an omnibus bill providing
Territories OF Dakota, Montana, Washing
ton and New Mexico, and giving the people
OF Dakota tho privilege Of determining
whether the Territory shall be admitted as
one or two States, Representative Springer
Chairman OF the Committee on Territories,
has been engaged formulating the necessary
amendments to the bill reported last ses-
sion TO make the provisions conform 10 the
proposed changes.
To meet the change in time OF holding
elections for delegates to Constitutinral
Conventions, Mr. Springer has prepared an
amendment providing that elections in the
four TERRITORIES shall be held on the first
Tuesday after the third Monday in May,
1859; that delegates so elected shall meet
in convention on the following 4:h of July
and prepare constitutions 10 be submitted
TO the people for ratification or rejection on
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November following.
To determine whether or not the Terri
tory Of Dakota shall be admitted as a
whole or divided, the proposed amendment
to the omnib US bill provides that at the
election for delegates 10 the Constitutional
Conventions in May each qualified elector
may have written or printed on his ballot
the words, "For division or Against
division" If The majority OF votes cast in
that part OF the Territory south Of the
seventh standard parallel due west TO the
western boundary OF the Territory shall
be for division, the delegates elected shall
assemble at Sioux Falls. II majority OF
tho votes cast north OF the seventh parallel
shall be for division, then the delegates SO
elected who may reside north Of said par
slloi shall assemble in convention at Bis
marck. Each convention shall then form
a Constitution for its State, which Con
stitutiop shalf be submitted TO the people
for ratification or rejection. Each State
shall be entitled to one representative in
Congress.
The appropriations To meet the expenses
Of holding TWO conventions is increased SO
to provide for each convention the sum
Of 81, 900.
1t is provided that should the people re-
icct the respective constitutions the Terri
torial Government OF Dakota shall con.
unuc in existence the same as If this act
had not been passed, or il the constitution
for either North or South Dakota should be
rejected then that part OF the Territory
shall continue under the Territorial Gov.
ernment of Dakots. In case the people
vote for division provision is made for a
commission by the two conventions to re-
adlus. and agree upon the amout of terri
torial debt TO be assumed by each Of the
proposed States.
Mr.. Springer will call n meeting OF the
committee some time next week for the
purpose of submitting the proposed amend
mcn;s TO them for consideration. He pro
poses 10 report the amendments 70 the bill
to the House at an carly day. He viii also
ask the committee TO consider the propriety
OF proposing An additional section TO the
omnibus bill, providing that whenever an
organized Territory Of the United States
shall have a legally asoertained population
eQual TO the number necessary TO ontitlo it
10 q Representative in Congress, such Ter
ritory will be authorized through the Leg
islature 10 call q constitutional convention
to consist Of not less than IS members, who
shall assemble at the sent of government Of
the Territory and form Constitution for
submission TO the people. If n majority Of
tho people vote for il, it is TO be transmitted
to the President and by him laid before
Congress, and IL the Constitution so adopt
ed be republican in form and in accord
nnoc with the Constitution and laws of tho
United States, the Territory shall be ad-
mitted into the United States and Congress
ahall pass an act therefor.