, 1888-12-20
THE TERRITORIES.
The Democratic Caucus Gets I'm
Its Work.
FIXING THE TINE FOR ELECTIONS.
Dakota's Division Left to a Vote of Its
People-The Matter Begins to
Take On q Tangible Phase.

WAsurYeToN. Dec. 15.-In accordance
with the expressed intention of the demo-
cratic caucus of last Thursday night to
support the omnibus BILL providing an en-
abing act for the admission OF the terri
tories of Dakota, Montana, Washington
and New Mexico. and giving the people OF
Dakota the privilege of determining
whether the territory be admitted as one
or two states. Representative Springer,
chairman of the committee on territories.
who had been engaged formulating the
necessary amendments to the bill. reported
that the last session conformed to the pro-
posed changes, with some change IN the
time OF holding the election for delegates
to the constitutional convention.
THE TERRITORIAL ELECTIONS.
Springer has prepared an amendment
providing that elections in the four terri
after the third Monday In May, 1889;
that delegates so elected shall meet in con-
vention on the following 4th of July and
prepare constitutions to be submitted
to the people for their ratification
or rejection on the hrst Tuesday
after the first Monday in the November
following.
HOW IT SHALL BE DONE.
10 utLeTuIub WuttutT uOb ttlb
tory of Dakota shall be admitted in whole
or divided. the proposed amendment to
the omnibrs bill provides that at the elec.
tion for delegates to the constitutional
convention in May every qualified elector
may have written or printed on his ballot
the words, "For DIVISION" or against
division" If a majority of the votes cast
in that part Of the territory south of the
seventh standard of parallel. due west to
the western boundary Of the territory,
shall be For DIVISION" the delegates
elected shall assemble at Sioux Falls. IL
majority of the votes are cast north of
the seventh parallel shall be for division
then delegates so elected, who may reside
north of said parallel shall assemble in
convention at Bismurk. Each convention
shall then form constitution for its state.
which constitution shall be submitted to
the people for ratification OF rejection.
Each state shall be entitled to representa-
tion in congress.
INCREASING THE APPROPRIATIONS.
Appropriations to meet the expenses of
two conventions il increased so as to pro-
vide for each convention the sum of $780,
600. Il is provided that should the peo-
pie reject the respective constitutions, the
territorial government of Dakota shall
continue in existence the same as If this
act had not been passed, or il the consti-
tuition of either North or South Dakota
should be rejected. then that part of the
territory rejecting shall continue under the
territorial government of Dakota. In
case the people vote for division, pro-
vision 10 made for the appointment of a
commission by the two conventions 10 re-
adjust and agree upon the amount of the
territorial debt to be assumed by each of
the proposed states,
sPRINGER's AMENDMENT.
Springer will call meeting of the COM
mittee some time next week for the pur-
pose Of submitting the proposed amend
mcnts to them for consideration. He
proposes to report the amendments to the
bill to the house at an early day.
He will also ask the committee to con-
tional section to the omnibus bill providl
ing that whenever an organized territory
of the United States shall have legally as
certained that its population is equal to
the number necessary to entitle it to a rep
resentation in congress of such territory.
they will be authorized through the legis-
lature to call constitutional convention.
10 consist of not less than seventy-five
members, who shall assemble at the seat of
the government of the territory and form
a constitution for submission to the peo-
pie. IL majority OF the people vote for
it, it is to be transmitted to the president
and by him laid before congress, and if
the constitution so adopted be represented
in form, and in accordance with the con-
stitution and bylaws Of the United States,
the territory shall be admitted into the
union whenever congress shall pass an act