Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-12-21
ssBill" Springer Shows Great Sagac-
ity and Originality in Dealing
With the Territory.
A Bill for Dakota's Division and
Admission Will be Passed
at Once.
The Democrats Will Introduce q
Bill Which Will do Away
With Territories.
Mckinley Says Thnt the Republicans
in Congress Will Cooperate With
the Democrats Promptly.

Cuc UeulOCtdlS IiOupllys
"Anticipating the Inevitable"
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-In accordance
with the expressed intention of the demo-
cratic caucus of last Thursday night to
support the "omnibus" bill providing for
enabling acts for the admission of the ter
ritories of Dakota, Montana, Washington
and New Mexico. and of giving to the peo-
pie of Dakota the privilege OF determining
whether that territory shall be admitted as
ane or two states, Representatives Springer,
chairman of the committee on territories,
has been engaged in formulating the nee.
essary amendments to the bill reported
last session to make its provisions conform
to the proposed changes. To meet the
change in time of holding the elections for
delegates to constitutional convention
Springer prepared an amendment provid-
ing that the elections in the four territories
shall be held on the first Tuesday after the
third Monday in May, 1889; that the dele
gates so elected shall meet in convention
on the following Fourth of July and pre-
pare constitutions to 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 territory of Dakota
shall be admitted as whole or divided the
proposed amendment to the "omnibus"
bill provides that at the election for dele
gates to the constitutional convention in
May each qualified elector may have writ
ten on his ballot the words 'for uivision"
or 'sagainst division" If majority of
votes cast in that part of the territory
south Of the seventh standard parallel pro-
duced due west to western boundary of
the territory shall be ssfor division'' the
delegates elected shall assemble at
Sioux Falls. IT majority of the votes
cast north of the seventh parallel shall be
for division then the delegates who may
reside north of said parallel shall assem-
BILE
IN CONVENTION AT BISMARCK.
Each convention will then form con
stitution for the state, which constitution
shall be submitted to the people for ratifi-
cation or rejection. Each state shall be
entitled to one representative. Appropria-
tions to meet the expenses of holding two
conventions is increased so as to provide
for each convention the sum of $4,000. 1t
is provided that if the people should reject
the respective constitutions the territorial
government of Dakota shall continue in
existance, the same as if this act had not
been passed, ,or if the constitution for either
North or South Dakota should be rejected,
then that part of the territory rejecting
shall continue under the territorial gov
ernment In case the people vote for di-
vision the provision is made for the ap-
pointment of commission by the two
conventions to readjust and agree upon
the amount of territorial debt to be as
sumed by the proposed states. Springer
will call a meeting some time next week
for the purpose Of submitting the proposed
amendments to them for consideration.
He hopes to be able to report the amend
ments to the bill to the house at an early
date. He will also ask the committee to
consider the propriety Of proposing an ad-
ditional section to the 'omnibus" bill pro-
viding that whenever any organized ter
ritory of the United States shall have as
certained a population equal to the number
necessary to entitle it to representation
in congress, such territory shall be author.
lied, through its legislature, to
CALL A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
to consist of not less than seventy live
members who shall assemble at the seat OF
government of the territory and form q
constitution for submission to the people
If a'majority of the people vote for it tits t
be transmitted to the president and BY
him laid before congress and if the con
stitution, so adopted, be republican in form
and in accordance with the constitution
and laws of the United States the territor,
shall be admitted into the union wheneve
congress shall pass an act therefore.
THE REPUBLICANS WILL COOPERATE.
ST. PAUL, Dec. 15.-The Dispatch ha
the following from Washington: The at
tention of Mckinley, one Of the republican
leaders of the house, was drawn to the de
cision of the democratic caucus with re
gard to the admission of certain territOrie