Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-11-22
INDECENT HASTE.

When the enabling act providing for the
conversion offour territories into States was
reported from the conference committee in
February last one Of the conferees, Senator
Butler, explained that he was strongly OPP
posed to the provision admitting the new
States by proclamation Of the President,
but would not jeopardize the passage of the
bill by insisting upon his objection. Accord
ing to Senator Butler the regular constitu-
tional method for the admission of States is
in the first place to secure an enabling act
from Congress authorizing the population
of the territory proposed to be made into
State to vote on the question of n constitu-
ton, and having voted upon that question
before they shall be admitted the constitu-
ton so adopted shall be submitted to Con-
gress for its approval. If this course had
been followed, as in the case of previous adj
missions, the present Montana complication
would have been avoided, but there was an
eager desire to have the benefit of the votes
Of the new States in the organization of Con.
gress-hence the provision for admission by
proclamation.
1t is claimed by the defenders of Presi-
dent Harrison's hasty action in admitting
Montana, while dispute as to the result of
the election was pending, that he had no
alternative under the terms of the enabling
act, all the conditions of the law having
been complied with. There is room for
doubt as to that. The law says that "if all
the provisions of this act have been COM
piled with, it shall be the duty of the Pres
ident of the United States to issue his pro-
clamation announcing the result OF the cleo
ton" 1t was not imperative on him to
issue the proclamation before time had been
given to ascertain the facts. 1t was known
in advance when the proclamation admit
ting the two Dakotas would be issued
Notice was sent out to the public when the
Washington admission proclamation would
be issued The Montana proclamation was
signed and published without the slightest
warning and to the surprise of every one
not in the ring. Where deliberation was
most needed there was unusual precipitan-
cy. 1t is open to question whether all the
provisions OF the act had been complied
with when the proclamation was issued.
1t is provided in the enabling act that in
case the constitution of any of said proposed
States shall be ratified by the people, but
not otherwise, the Legislature thereof may
assemble, organize and elect two Senators
of the United States" and "when such
State is admitted into the Union the Sena.
tors and Representatives shall be entitled
to be admitted to seats in Congress" When
President Harrison issued his proclamation
admitting Montana he knew there was a
dispute as to the election of the legislature
A decision of the Territorial Court had CIV
en- the pivotal seats to one set of candidates;
the action OF the canvassing board, in de-
fance Of that decision, had given them to
another set. There was reason sufficient for
delay to ascertain whether all the provis-
ions of the enabling act had been complied
with. Butth did not suit the game OF Rus
sell Harrison, the Presidents bumptious and
inscriptions son, who had set himself up
as the Republican boss of Mantana into
which he had carpet bagged for political
purposes. The will of the meddlesome son
seems to be the law at the White House, so
the proclamation was rushed out and the
cabinet informed of the act two hours later,
instead of the President taking counsel with
the cabinet as to the necessity or propriety of
turning Mantana loose with dangerous
quarrel on its hands President Harrison
may have kept within the techncalities of
the constitution and the law, but he has
transgressed their spirit and gone wholly
outside the bounds of delicacy.