The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-12-21

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ADMISSION OF THE TERRITORIES
Of Dakota, Montana, Washington and New
Mexico, and giving the people Of Dakota the
privilege Of determining whether that Ter
ritory be admitted as one or two States,
Representative Springer, Chairman of the
Committee on Territories, has been engaged
in formulating the necessary amendments to
the bill reported last session to make its
provisions conform to the proposed changes,
with some change in the time Of holding The
election for Delegates to the Constitutional
Convention.
sPRINGER's AMENDMENTS AS TO DAKOTA.
Springer has prepared An amendment pro-
viding that elections in the four Territories
shall be held on the first Tuesday after the
the third Monday in May, 1899; that the
delegates SO elected shall meet il Convention
on the following Sixth of July and prepare
. Constitution to be submitted to the people
for ratification or rejection on the first Tues
day after the first Monday in November fol-
lowing, to determine whether or not the
AVAAltVAy " JANUS Shall U0 A0u4lttcu 88 -
whole or divided. The proposed amend.
ment to the omnibus bill provides that al
the election for delegates to the Constitu-
tional Convention in May, every qualified
elector may have written or printed on his
ballot the words, "For division, or, against
DIVISION"
THE LINE OF DIVISION.
If q majority Of the votes cast in that part /
of the Territory south Of the seventh stand
ard parallel, due west to the western bound
ary Of the Territory shall be "For division,'
thu delegates elected shall assemble at Sioux
Falls. If the majority cast north Of the
seventh parallel shall be for division, then
the delegates SO elected who reside rorth of
said parallel shall assemble in Convention at
Bismarck. Each Convention shall then
form . Constitution for its State, which Con-
stitution shall 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 as
to provide for each Convention the sum of
It is provided that should the peo-
pie reject the respective Constitutions, the
government Of Dakota shall con-
tlnue in existence the same as If this act had
not been passed; or if the Constitution
either North or South Dakota should be
then the part Of the Territory so
rejecting shall continue unde. the Territorial
government of Dakota. In case the people
c0te for division, provision is made for the
Of a commission by the two
to readjust and agree upon the
amount Of Territorial debt to be assumed by
ZACH of the proposed States.
A GENERAL RULE AS TO ADMISSION. &
Springer will call a meeting of the com ,
nlttee some time next week for the purpose {
submitting the proposed amendments to ]
hem for consideration. He proposes to re. :
the amendments to the bill to the House :
an early day. he will also ask the com $
nittee to consider the propriety Of proposing a
n additional section to the omnibus bill Q
'roviding that whenever an organized Terri :
DRY Of the United States shall have q legally T
scertained population equal to the number g
ecessary to entitle it to one representative
Congress, such Territory will be author. b
zed through the Legislature to call . Con- Il
Convention, to consist Of not less b
han seventy. five members, who shall assem-. !,
lie At the seat Of Government Of the Terri s
Dry and form a Constitution for submission p
} the people. If a majority Of the people q
Dte for it, it is to be transmitted to the $,
and by him laid before Congress, il
nd if the Constitution 50 adopted be Re- q
Dblican In form and in accordance with the it
and laws Of the United States, : al
'e Territory shall be admitted into the c
MON whenever Congress shall pass an act ci
Ierefor. 70