Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1888-03-05
NEW STATES FOR THE UNION.
Four Territories Anxious to Have tlae
Rights efStatehood.


| WASHINGTON, March Mr.. Springer in
behalf of the majority of the committee on
| territories has prepared report which he
will present to the House recommending
the passage of what is known as the ''Olnni-
bus" bill to enable the people of Dakota, Mon
tana, Washington and New Mexico to forn
State governments and to be admitted into
the Union on an equality with the other
States. The report after explaining the pro
visions of the bill, among which it says is a
clause allowing the people to decide by vote
on propositions to change the names of their
respective territories, gives statement of
the population and resources of each of the
proposed States. Dakota, it says, has an
area of 500, 456, 4S0 acres, an estimated popu-
lation in 1887 of 568, AIT and taxable prop
erty valuation of $157, 074 ,365. 1t is con-
coded, the report continues, that in point of
population, agricultural and mineral resources
and in all other matters which constitute
State Dakota is prepared for admission, and
in fact no other territory equally well fitted
for Statehood has heretofore failed of adEis-
sion into the Union. This failure ia attrib-
| uted to the fact that all organized efforts
heretofore made in the territory have had
the division of the territory in view. Regret
| is expressed that even now there are some
| well disposed people in the territory who in
sist that Dakota should not be admitted into
the Union as one State and who prefer
| that there should be no admission until
a division is accomplished: Attention
| is called to the fact that 26, S47 Ill acres,
comprising over one-fourth the area of the
| territory, is Indian reservation land and ex-
| Guided from the jurisdiction of tbs proposed
State. The. climate in the northern portion
of the territory and the character of the lands
l nf he ara a aOa tafSA ia ha nch
as to preclude the possibility of o dense pop
| ulation in those regions. If, however. the
| Indian titles should hereafter be extinguished
| and the population become SO great as to
| make single State government unwieldy,
| Congress, the report says, may provide for
/ it's division into two States. No imperative
| reason is seen why the territory should be
divided at the present time in view of the
| fact that the population of the territory is
| only about one-third the average population
| of the States already in the Union, that large
areas are sparsely settled and that large
part of the territory is devoted to Indian oc-
| cupation.
Montana, the report says, has an area of
| 90, Ole, 648 acres, a population estimated to
| amount to 175, 900 in November next and a
| taxable property valuation in 1886 of $3.50,
| ORG, 0S1 The Indian reservations comprise
| 500, 574, 648. The area of Washington terri
| tary is placed at A, TIC, 100 acres, of which
| 4, 107, 558 are Indian reserves; its population
l in November next is estimated at 160, 900 and
| taxable property in 1887 is given as about
| $50, 700, 600, not including railroad property
Reference is made to its great mineral and
/ timber resources. The area of New Mexico
is placed at 1865, $40 acres, of which
9,56S, 225 is comprised within Indian
| reservations. An official census in 1885
showed the population to be 134, 141 and it's
taxable property in 1886 amounted to $685.
| 900, 900. The growth of the territory has
been much retarded by the unsettled condi-
ton of land titles and measures are being
passed to remedy this. The report concludes:
1.-THE four territories whose admission is pro-
vided for in this bill have population, area
| and resources which entitle them to admis-
| sion in the Union. It should be the policy
of Congress to admit the territories whenever
| these conditions are realized. The commit
tee therefore recommend the passage of the
/ hill ranOrtad u