St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-24
THE OMNIBUS BILL.
By Party Vote the Committee
Will Report FayOrabiy---TeXto of
fha Ri!I

WAsHINGToN, Feb. 23.-By strict
party vote the house committee on ter
ritOres to-day agreed to report favora-
bly, Chairman Springer's Omnibus"
bill to enable the people of Dakota.
Montana, Washington territory and
New Mexico to form constitutions and
state governments, and to be admitted
into the Union Oh an equal footing with
the original states. The bill authorizes
residents OF these territories to elect
delegates 10 conventions. propOrtiOnate
in number with the p0pul alton of the
counties. The apportionment of dele
gates Is TO be made by the governor,
chief justice and United States attor-
neyS of each territory, and the election
Is TO be held on the Tuesday after the
first Monday of next August. The num-
Der OF delegates to each convention is
fixed at Seventy-tive, except in the case
of Dakota, where the number is in
creased to $50. They are to meet at the
seat of government of each territory on
the second Tuesday of September next,
adopt the constitution of the United
States and form constitutions and state
governments expressly diSclaiming in
favor of the United States all title to
Incorporated public lands and In
dian lands lying within the territories.
They are also required to assume the
territorial debts. and provide and MAIN
tain public school system.
TIE CONSTITUTIONS
are to be submitted to vote of the peo-
pie on the Tuesday after the first Mon
day in November next, and if a ma
JOrity are in favor of it, the results shall
be certified TO by the president of the
United States. Until the next general
census the new states, with the eXcep-
ton OF Dakota, are to be allowed one
representative each in the house of rep
TeSentatiVeS. Dakota is to be allowed
Two representatives. These represen-
tativeS are to be elected Oh the same
day with the governor and other state
officers. Sections IL and Sc Of land in
each township, or an equivalent, are
granted to each new state Tor school
purposes, fifty entire sections are
granted for the erection of public build
lng, ninety sections are apportioned for
agricultural colleges and per cent of
the profits OF the sales of public lands
in the new states is to be paid into a
1und for the support of their common
schools. Other large grants of public
lands are also proposed to be made
Specifically for the benefit of schools. of
mines, charitable and educational in
SututonS and WaterWOrkS for irriga-
ton. An appropriation of $4,000 is
provided for Montana, Washington and
New Mexico. and S35, 0O0 for Dakota to
defray the expenses of the conventions.
After the acceptance of the constitu-
tons the legislatures are to meet and
elect two senators from each state, and
when each state is admitted into the
union by special act Of congress. the
senators and representatives are TO be
admitted to seats iii congress, and the
state governments become operative.
The New Mexico convention IS also to
consider the question of changing the
name of New Mexico to MonteZuma.
and the Washington convention is to
submit to the people the proposition to
name the new state Tacoma. The Re-
publican members will present a minor
ity report i'll opposition to the bill