The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-11-15

SENATORIAL PROBLEMS
MONrANA,s CONTEST MAY YET GO TO
THE o. y. SENATE.
Come North Dakota Matters that Interest
tho south "A Warrington Statement
About the Signing of tho Proclamsttons-
Other Matters Of Northwestern Interest.
The general sentiment ct Helena, Mont,
10 that the decision of the state %canvassing
board has settled the election contest un-
til the Legislature convenes. While b
democrats feel sore oyer their defeat, they
cannot but feel that they are glad that b
state will soon be admitted, and say they
will keep up this tight OH the floor of the
legislature. This they will be enabledto
do from the fact that the members of the
legislature have two different certificates
of election, one from tho county clerk OF
the county from which they were elected
and one from the state canvassing board.
The old territorial law makes it the duty
OF the county clerks to issue certificates
Of election to members of the legislatures,
while the new constitution imposes that
duty on the state board of canvassers. In
Silver Bow county both democrats and
republican legislative candidates have re-
ceived these certificates, the former from
the county clerk n the latter from the
state %canvassing board, consequently
there will probably be two sets of candi-
dates from that county applying for seats
when the Legislature convenes. Inasmuch
% the republicans have absolute control of
the senate n a quorum of both houses,
no doubt the republican members from
Silver Bow will be seated, as the lieuten-
ant governor and state auditor, both re-
publicans, will call the legislature to or.
der. still, SO close is the result, the DEM
candidates from Silver Bow who hold
county certificates, will also number more
than enough to constitute a quorum. It
is now openly stated that the democrats
will organize m Legislature md the re-
publicans another, each having a quorum.
II this can be. done there will be four
United States senators elected, two by the
republicans and two by the democrats,
which would further complicate matters
and throw tho Montana election contest
into the senate of the United States.
They are Sure Enough Twins.
1t is not yet a matter of doubt which Of
the two Dakotas can claim precedence.
North Dakota can claim the honor of being
named first in the omnibus bill. The
subject has created q great deal of COM
ment in Washington, and the Star tells
about it in the following: The admins.
tration has n real mystery on hand, and
the best joke Of it is that it will remain a
mystery until time shall be no moro.
North Dakota will seek in vain for testi-
mony which shall indicate that it
was admitted to the union a few gratifying
seconds in advance of South Dakota, and
South Dakota can hunt until the crack of
doom for the evidence that would give it o
slight seniority. The question which
first assumed the dignities Of statehood"
u forever remain unanswered, because
no n knows. "Oh, but the president
not, though, and here is the reason why.
On Saturday the president received from
the state department the two proclama-
lions deficient only to the extent Of his
signature. The question of priority at
once came up and it was found to be diff
cult to decide. south Dakota had been
the favored one in times when everybody
supposed that North Dakota was going to
be left out in the cold as u territory and
his geographical subdivision would be re-
sarded as superior. North Dakota said
that it would not make the slightest differ
ence. Their territory would naturally
have precedence, just as one would mature
ally, in calling the roll of states mention
North Carolina before its sister to the
southwark. 1t was a grave situation for
the president to be i'll, and he evidently
realized it, but he steered his way ont
without difficulty. The " documents,
unlocked at, were laid face downward on a
sheet Of Nnnar- thnn fhnv u,o,a cl,,,NqnJ
until a three-card monte expert could not
toll t'other from which. When this stage
of the game had been reached the procla- 4
nations were turned faces upward, but =
protected from the gaze of the curious
and everybody else by the sheet of paper
on which they had been lying. The
sheet had been slipped aside until the
spaces for the presidential signatures were
exposed. The autograph was appended,
the ink allowed to dry, the p~roclamations
turned over once more md again vigorous
ly shufaed. The two Dakotas were ad.
mitted to the union, and although one of
them was ahead of the other lust the
length Of time it took the president to
write his name history will never be able
to record the name of the leader. It is a
profound mystery and will always be so.
A Difference of opinion.
johnson Nlckeus, Just before he retirea
from the Office of attorney general of Da.
kota territory, gave the opinion that tho
North Dakota legislature would have to
wait until the second Tuesday after its
meeting and organization before it could
elect the United States senator's. His
opinion is based upon the net Of July 25,
1866. The attorney general of North Da-
kota is not inclined to accept MIR. Nickeus'
view. Senator Moody, now in Washing
ton tA1nrNor1o that 1o H.. .---enNLo