The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-11-02
Arbitrary Plan of Arranging Long and Short
Terms That Has Been in Vogue Since the
Meeting ofthe First United States Senate.
No More Appointments of Bonded OFF,
GERS to Be Made Until Congress Meets.
Thanksgiving Proclamation by the President
Decrease of $9,COO,OOO in the Public Debt
-Employes Who Will Go Home to Vote.
SENATOR'S FROM NEW STATES.

How the Senate Decides Who Shall Have
tho Long Short Terms.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Nov. president Harri-
son intends to issue a proclamation, or two
proclamations, tomorrow. admitting North
and South Dakota to statehood. There
will be some delay about the admission of
Montana and Washington. North Dakota
will come first in the order of admission.
There has been some discussion of and
speculation as to how the Senators of the
new States will arrange the;length of their
terms, or rather how the Senate will dis
pose of tie questions. All of the several
terms will be settled by lottery, and the
various Senators will have an equal
chance at the long and short terms. The
Senate is apportioned into three classes.
divided as nearly equal as may be. 80 that
one-third of the entire Senate
will be elected every two years.
At present there are twenty five Senators
whose terms expire in 1891, twenty-five in
1893. and twenty-six in 1895. 1t will be
seen that the shorter two and four-years
terms have one Senator less than the long
or six-years term. According to all prece-
dents the next State admitted will be given
two and four-years Senators. so as to make
the classes of 1891 and 1893 even win the
class of 1895. Under the existing act, and ac-
cording to the proposed proclamation,
North Dakota will be the first admitted and
ators, providing the Senators are here when
the session begins. The two Senator's from
North Dakota will draw lots
for the two and .four-year terms
or classes, and will be thus assigned. The
next State admitted will be South Dakota,
and here the Senator's will draw lots. The
frst drawing VIII determine which of them
shall secure the long term. Then the re-
naming Senator will draw to see whether
be secure the four or .two-yeaE term. The
will draw. first. for the class left short by
the southern Dakota selection. The re-
naming Senator will draw for the long
class not selected by his colleagues. By
this method it will not be possible for any
Two senators from one State to secure
cordance with the method adopted by
the first Senate, May IA. 1889. Whenever
O new State has been admitted the Senate
has assigned the Senators to the class ac-
cording TO the resolution of the above date.
When Minnesota was admitted, in 1853, a
joint resolution was passed by the Mime
sofa Legislature requesting the Senate to
admit Her y NJ. Rice to the long term.
The resolution was referred to the United
States Senate committee on judiciary,
which reported back that lin accordance
with resolution of May IA, 1850. and the
Constitution. the Senators from Minnesota
shall draw lots for the classes to which
they shall be assigned" 1t so happened
that Senator Shields drew the short term,
which was at that time the short class, and
in choosing FROM the two remaining classes
Senator Rice secured the long term. Sena-
tor Pettigrew.. of South Dakota, has said
that he was willing to take the short term
and allow Senator Moody the long term.
This kind of an arrangement cannot be
recognized. The usual method of drawing
must determine which shall fill the long
and which the short term.