The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-13
DAKOTA A LITTLE EARLY.
SHE MAY BE ADMITTED AFTER
THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

The Democrats in Congress Not In
clined to Spoil the Present Status of
the Electoral College Just Yet-The
Republicans Catch on to the Idea.
WASHINGTON, April 12-The Senate this
| afternoon resumed consideration Of the bill
to provide for the admission of the State of
South Dakota and for the organization of
the Territory of North Dakota, and was
addressed by Mr.. Turpie in opposition to
the bill of the majority of the committee
and in support of that of the minority.
The case, he said, was one where the people
of portion of a Territory had petitioned
Congress for the admission of that portion,
and if so far as historical precedent and
example were concerned it was one utterly
| without right or authority. This was the
first instance in the history of the
country in which such action mad
| occurred, or i'll which such a claim
had been presented or considered. South
Dakota was not "A Territory 1t was not
division of the Union at all; it was merely
geographical expression. He denied the
right of the people of Territory to estab-
lish division of it, and said that the people
of the whole Union had right to be heard
as to the policy and propriety of such
division.
MR.. CULLoM SUPPORTS IT.
Mr.. Cullom spoke in favor of the majority
bill. There must be, he thought some ex
planation for the Democratic opposition to
this bill, and he was inclined to believe that
paragraph from the Washington Post, a
Democratic organ, furnished an indication
of it. That paper, in an editorial article of
some time since, stated that for two or
three years past the Republicans had been
insisting on tire admission of Dakota as a
State, and that the Democrats had not
agreed to it for various reasons-one of
which was that they had not thought
it advisable to complicate the political
situation until after the Presidential
election of this year. He was strongly of
the opinion that if the Senator from South
Carolina (Mr Butler), who was now smiling
so benignantly, was to stand up and tell the
honest truth he would admit that the whole
opposition tn the admission of Dakota was
based on the fact that the Democrat; did
not want any further political complications
thrust upon the country until after the next
Presidential election.
MR.. BUTLER's REPLY.
Mr., Butler said that he had voted steadily
| to admit the whole of Dakota as a State
and would do so now.
1.-The Senator is always willing said Mr..
Cullom, "to do something that nobody else
is for. | read from the same article: No
| new State will be admitted during the first
| session of the present Congress, no matter
| what may be its political status. The fig
ures of the electoral college will not be
changed before 1892 You do not propose" :"
he continued, Ito change the figures. You
| may prevent us from changing the figures
| through the admission of South Dakota
| and giving us thereby, few additional
| electoral votes; but we intend to change the
| figures by an honest vote of the States al
ready in, when the election comes in No
| vember next"
Mr. Butler Smiling serenely)-Al right.
Mr.. Cullom-I am strengthened in that
belief by another little incident. | am not
at ali in the secrets of the Democratic
party as represented in Congress; but
| think | am warranted in saying, from all
| that | have heard, that this bill has come TO
be the subject of serious caucus convention
| by the Democrats Of tine two houses; and
| suppose it has been decided that no bill
shall pass Congress admitting Dakota as a
| State until after the next Presidential cleo
| tion.
TURNING THE POINT.
Mr. Butler-I am sure my friend from
| Illinois will not require the votes Of that
| Territory at the next election; for under
| stand he has been announced as a Republi-
can candidate. | think he will have enough
! votes without those of Dakota
| Mr. Cullom Qaughing)-I think so too;
but still | would like to have them
Perhaps" Mr.. Butler resumed, tour
amiable friend from Iowa may have some
thing to say on the subject"
But Mr.. Allison intimated by q gesture
and monosyiable of dissent that he had
| not.
"Then, perhaps, the Senator from Yer
mont may have something to say on the
subject, suggested Mr. Butler.
II shall have something to say on that
subject, was Mr. Edmunds' response in a
graver tone than that in which the rest of
| the colloquy was carried on.
Mr. Spooner obtained the floor to speak
in favor of the bill, but the Senate pro-
ceeded TO executive business, and at $50
o'clock adjourned until Monday.