St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-14
The People Of the Territory
Must Decide 1t Among
Themselves.
So Far as Democratic Repre-
sentatives Are Concerned,
They Favor Admission.
Whether as One or Two
States, 1t Makes No
Difference.
Montana, Washington, New
Mexico and Utah Can
Come in Too.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-The house
Democratic caucus tonight, after ses-
sion lasting over three hours. adopted
resolution for the admission into the
Union of Dakota, either as one or two
states, as the people of Dakota shall de-
eide, and for the admission OF states OF
= Washington, Montana, and New Mexico
also. 1t is proposed that these states
shall be admitted by one bill. Utah,
although not mentioned in the resolu-
ton. it was agreed should be admitted
into the Union. but by separate bill.
The resolution adopted reads as follows:
Resolved, That i'll The judgment Of this
caucus. DIVISION shall be n:'.de by which
Dakota Lay be admitted into the union as
one : t, re- or two states as the pe'.''le or the
twop opposed states II y hereafte! term n
Also that the ne >. y Legislation ought 10
be provided for the ea.iy adm ,slon INTO the
union of the terr tories Of Washington, Mon-
tana and New M Z 80; that these measures
should all be EMBODIED in one i'll, either
by the amendment of the pending bill, or
otherwise. as to details, the committee on
territories shall determine; and that an order
of the house for the consideration OF the
measure should be made at an early Gay and
the bill considered in the house at the earliest
day practicable.
Sixty members were in attendance.
1t was soon evident that the Democrats
bad come nearer to an understanding
since the adjournment of the caucus
lions at issue related to Dakota and
Utah. Calling Gov. McCreary to the
chair, Mr.. Cox opened the proceedings
\ with statement that t would be we'll to
correct some errors which had
been made in the report of the
last caucus. He said he had favored
the division of Dakota into two parts,
as well as The admission Of Montana,
Washington aud New Mexico, because
they had sufficient ratio for one mem
Der of congress. North Dakota had
225,OC0 people and South Dakota nearly
375,O00, and they were abundantly able,
therefore. to assume statehood. Utah,
which had 100000 people, he did not
include for reasons not necessary to
discuss. He expressed a willingness
to accept Mr.. Holman's proposition
so far as it related TO
TAKING IN THESE TERRITORIES,
all of which, by the reports of the gov
errors this year to the secretary OF the
interior, showed that they were up to
the ratio in numbers. MIR. Cox opposed
Utah coming in in the general ''omni-
bus" bill. but he was willing to defer to
''OmnibuSn measure, provided it was
understood that Dakota should have the
privilege of division. Mr.. Dockery, of
Missouri, supported the position taken
by Mr.. Cox. and said that it WAS the
general sentiment of the people of the
West that something should be done
speedily for the territories, and that the
people OF Dakota should be given the
decision of the question of whether it
should come in as one or two states.
Messrs. Wheeler, of Alabama; BlOunt,
of Georgia; Mansur, of Missouri; Rice
and Macdonald, of Minnesota; VoOr-
others, took the same ground.
Messrs. Oates and Herbert, of Alabama.
and McMillin, of Tennessee, however,
stoutly opposed the division of Dakota.
Mr.. McMillin took more advanced
ground. even, than Col. Oates at the
caucus Tuesday night. He declared it
would be political suicide for the Demo
cratic party to admit all these new
states. The Democratic party should
go slow in this matter. 1t was not good
politics. These proposed states were
Republican and would continue to be
Republican, notwithstanding any ac-
ton the Democratic house might
take looking to their admission.
The Dakota question then became lost
sight of temporarily in discussion
whether Utah should be included in an
omnibus bill for the admission of new
territories. Delegate Cain, of Utah,
made an earnest appeal for the inclusion
of his territory in the proposed bill. He
said that polygamy was now no longer
practiced to any extent: that voters were
required by the state constitution as a
preliminary TO exercising the right Of
suffrage to swear that
THEY WERE NOT POLYGAMISTS.
TIE Democratic party should not UNI
dertake to deny Utah admission solely
because of the religious belief of some
of her citizens. In his appeal Mr.. Grain
was seconded by Mr.. Breckenridge, of
Kentucky, who thought Utah would
probably be the only Democratic state
in the lot, and therefore ought not to
be omitted. Considerable opposition
was manifested by others to the inclu-
sion of Utah in any omnibus bill, based
ate might take it as a pretext
for letting the whole matter go
over until next year. 1t was
finally agreed, after a division, that
Utah should not be included in the ON
nibuS bill. The committee on terrific
rieS was then requested by vote show
ing a small majority in favor of the
proposition to prepare and present to
the house separate bill for the admis-
sion of Utah. This was the only IN
stance in which there was any great
difference of opinion in the caucus,
which seemed fairly harmonious on
everything else. The Utah question
being disposed of, Speaker Carlisle and
Judge Holman addressed the caucus in
favor of
AN OMNIBUS BILL,
to include the territories having a ratio
OF population emitting them to one
member of congress. Mr.. Carlisle ex-
pressed some doubts about the people
of Dakota being so favorable TO division
as had been reported, but, nevertheless,
said that he concurred with Mir. Cox
when he said that the Democratic party
might as well anticipate the inevitable.
Mr.. Cox closed the debate in speech,
in which he said that it was evident
that a great advance towards harmony
had been made since the previous eau
Gus. He asked the members to accept
the proposition of Judge Holman leav-
ing the Dakota question to the people of
that territory and providing for the adj
mission of the other territories named.
The Holman resolution amended by
suggestion from Speaker Carlisle was
then adented, and the caucus at 10:45
adjourned.
PRAYING for Admission.