Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-14
H TERRlIoR Es.
what Legislation las Been Done Il
Congress the Pastsessien.

What Legislation has Been Done to
Gong ress the Past session.
w al ngGon. Avg. l2-Ine Till for
the admission OF Washirt ton territory
etIll remains as unfinished business
upon the senate calendar, aud Is liable
to come up q. any time that privileged
matters are out of the w6y. According
to Mr.. Frye's plain statement, however,
the greater part of this week will go TO
consideration OF the fisheries treaty, un
less the democrats give way, and there
% likely to be no attempt 80 make new
states until later IL the session. To tell
the truth congress has made vsly little
progress in this direction, despite the
enormous amount of talk which both
houses and both parties hsv INDUCED
in the past three years. To an observer,
the contrast between the prom tes ana
the execution seem very ridiculous and
neither party can take any decided
credit to itself for the work 1t has done
for the territories whose interests il has
always extoIled and defend ID in party
platforms. From the time that the Hon,
Eugene Hale INSTRUCTED the admission
OF Dakota on account Of the attempted
liquidation OF the Yankson county
bonds to she present session when the
chairman OF the house committee
ON territories boldly declares that ne
republican territory shall be admitted
before election, the buneombe orRtory
and facile promise OF each side has al
ways gone far ahead of the legislation
enacted. Up to date the net result has
been as follows: The house has report
ed and placed upon the calendar an
omnibus bill to admit Washington. Da-
kots, Montans and New Mexico, and
has not disturbed the bill for three
month";. the senate committee has re.
ported three bills, Tor the admission of
South and North Dakota and Washing
ton territory, declining to do eng thing
for New Mexico. The senate has pass.
ed the bill for the admission of South
Dakote. 1t is considering that for the
admission of Washington territory aud
has the North Dakota bill still on the
calendar. 1t is safe to say that the leg
islation will stop about there. The eff
feet OF the passing OF the house omnibus
bill, which will be the ultimate legisle-
ton enacted should the democrats re-
tain control OF the house, will be to d.
minish the number of territories from
nine to five. Il viii give the
power of se!f-goverpmens to over one
million of people. It will add over
225 900 to the voting population in presi-
Dental years and will place six new SON
gressmsn in congress and will increase
the number Of new senator's by eight.
There will be fourteen electoral votes
to be contested for in q presidential year.
1t will take from future administrations
twenty-five appointments worth 81. 800
to $4,000 per year each, and will save the
government in the pay of these officials
$67 900 per year. In addition TO this the
government will be saved the amount it
is now compelled to appropriate bien.
nially for the support OF the territorial
government and the meeting of the ter
%ritoriai Legislature. The admission of
these territories will not only save the
government over 100000 per annum,
but o large number of political prizes
which have at the beginning OF each new
administration started @ stalwars pill
Rrimage Of eastern politicians toward
the setting sun, will be wiped out for
ever.