The Dickinson press., 1889-02-23
ARE OUT OF THE WOODS
Both Houses of Congress Adopt
the Conference Report on
the Omnibus Bill.
The Bill Now Only Requires the Pres.
idential Signature to Become
q Law.
North Dakota, Montana and Washington
Get u Congressman Each, While
South Dakota Has Two.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Mr. Springer
called up the conference report on the
territorial omnibus bill, and it was
adopted amid great applause. Mr..
Barnes, of Georgia, said that as one of
the conferees he had been unable under
his II of duty to report.
The bill as agreed to provides for the
admission of the states of North Dakota,
South Dakota, Montana and Washing
ton. The territory of Dakota is to be
divided on the seventh standard parallel
produced due west to the west boundary
of territory. The delegates elected to
the constitutional convention north of
this parallel shall assemble at Bismarck,
and those south of the parallel at Sioux
Falls. The delegates to the convention
in each of the proposed new states shall
be elected on the Tuesday after the first
Monday in May next, and shall meet on
the 18th of July and adopt the constitu-
ton of the United States. They are au-
thorized thereupon to form constitutions
IL state governments. 1t is provided
that at the election for delegates to the
convention in South Dakota the electors
shall vote for or against the Sioux Falls
constitution. If a majority of the votes
shall be for the constitution, the conven-
ton shall return to the people of South
Dakota for ratification Or rejection the
constitution framed at Sioux Falls. and
also the articles and propositions sepa-
of locating the temporary seat of govern
mcnt, with such changes only as relate
to the name and boundary of the pro-
posed state, to the reapportionment of
the judicial and legislative districts, and
such amendments as may be necessary
in order to comply with the provisions
of this act: and if a majority of the
votes cast Oh the ratification or rclcc-
ton OF the constitution shall be for the
constitution. irrespective of the articles
separately submitted, the state of South
Dakota shall be admitted as a state in
the Union under said constitution as
hereinafter provided: but the archives,
records and books of the territory of
Dakota Shall remain at Bismarck, the
capital of North Dakota, until an agree
ment in reference thereto is reached by
said states. But if at the election for
delegates to the constitutional conven-
ton in South Dakota a majority of all
the votes cast shall be against the Sioux
Falls constitution it shall be the duty of
tLS SOiiNSlIllo1l w lOlul IL GOIStlll tlOl DIS
if that question had not been submitted
to the people. 1t is made the duty of
the president to admit the four new
states by proclamation. if the constitu-
lions formed are ratified at the elections
to be held on the first Tuesday in Oc-
tober. Each of the new states shall be
entitled to one representative in con
gress, except South Dakota, which shall
be entitled to two representatives,
Section II provides that all lands
herein granted for educational purposes
shall he disposed of only at public sale,
and at a price no less than $40 per acre,
the proceeds to constitute a permanent
school fund, the interest of which only
shall be expended in the support of said
schools. But said lands may under such
regulations as The legislature shall pre-
scribe be leased for periods of not more
than five years, in quantities not ex-
ceeding n section to any one person
or company; and such lands shall not be
subject to presumption, homestead entry
or any other entry under the land laws
of the United States, whether surveyed
or unsurveyed, but shall be reserved for
school purposes only.
All mineral lands are exempted from
the grants made by the act. The two
Dakotas are to be added to Justice Mil
ler's circuit (the Eighthl and Washing
ton and Montana to Justice Fields (the
Ninth).
In the senate the report was adopted
without division.