Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-04
WILL ALWAYS BE A MYSTERY.
No Fellow VIII Ever be Able to Find
Out Which Dakota Was Born First.

The administration has Q real mystery on
hand, and the best Of the joke is that II will re-
main o mystery until time shall be no more
North Dakota will seek in vain for testimony
which shall indicate that II was admitted to
the Union few gratifying seconds in advance
OF South Dakota and South Dakota can hunt
until the crack Of doom for evidence that would
give it a slight seniority. The question: (Which
first assumed the dignities of statehood"
must forever remain unanswered simply be-
cause no one knows.
"Oh, but the President must know" re-
marks somebody.
He does not, though, and here is the reason
why: On Saturday the President received
from the State department the two proclama-
tons, deficient only to the extent of his sigma
ture. The question Of priority at once came
up and it was found to be difficult 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 a terri
tory and every South Dakotan was satisfied
be regarded as the superior. North
Dakotans said that that wouldn't make
the slightest difference: their territory would
naturally have precedence just as one would
naturally, in calling the roll of states, mention
North Carolina before its sister to the south
ward. 1t was grave situation for the Presi-
dent to be in and he evidently realized it, but
he steered his way out without difficulty. The
two documents, unlocked at, were laid face
downward on the desk on q sheet of paper
and then they were shuffied until even
three-card monte expert couldn't tell
'tother from which. When this stage of the
game had been reached the proclamations
were turned faces upward but protected from
the gaze Of the curious and everybody else by
the sheet of paper upon which they had been
laid. The sheet was slipped aside until the
blank spaces for the presidential signature
were exposed; the autograph was appended;
the ink allowed to dry; the proclamations
turned over once more and again vigorously
shuffied. The two Dakotas were admitted to
tho union Of states, and although one OF them
was ahead Of the other just the length Of time
it took the President to write his name history
will never be able to record the name of the
leader. 1t Is profound mystery and it will
always be SO.
WILL NOT AFFECT THE SENATORS TERMS.
According to the well-established custom the
standing Of the Senators OF the new states as
regards the length of term will not in any way
depend upon the order Of the admission of the
states.
Under the Constitution the Senate must be
divided as nearly AS may be into three equal
classes. their terms expiring two years apart.
When the first Senate was organized
should have the short, which the longer and
which tbs longest term was decided by lot,
and since then the same plan Of
settling this question where new states have
come IN has been resorted to. If this old custom
Is adhered to, as 1t no doubt will be. none of
me new Senator's will have any precedence, ex-
cept such as fate gives him.
4wo only of them can get six-year terms.
The other six will be divided equally between
the shortest and the middle-term classes.