Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-03-01
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
FOUR NEW STATES.
North DakOia, south DnkOta, Montana
aud WauhingtOu.

North DnkOtR, south DnkO kOtn, Montana
aud Washington.
President Cleveland appropriately cele-
brated Washington's birthday by signing
the bill which provides for the admission Of
four new states to the Union. Mr.. Spring
er Of Illinois, chairman of the House com
mttee on territories, who had worked ex
tremely hard on the territorial measures,
was extremely anxious that the President
should give his approval to the bill on the
anniversary of Washington's birth. He
had already made the suggestion TO the
President, and early Friday forenoon sent
a despatch to the White House renewing
the suggestion. In response the President
wrote this letter and sent it by messenger
to Mr.. Springer at the Capitol
Executive MASsiuS.
WAsHINGToS, Feb. -, 1889.
hon. William VI Springer.
NV DEAR SIR signed the bill providing for
the admission Of new states at II O'Clock this
morning Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
The letter is highly priced by Mr.. Spring
er, who says he will have it framed and
NdIelully pIeseTNeu'
Probably when the Fifty first Congress
shall meet for its regular session in Decem-
ber, North and South Dakota, Montana and
Washington will be represented as states.
These four states will therefore come into
the Union during the centennial year Of
our national government, as Colorado, the
last state previously admitted, came in on
the hundredth year after the declaration of
the Independence Of the Republic. But for
the narrow strip of Idaho which stretches
to the northern border between Montana
and Washington they would carry the union
Of states continuously across the continent
from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.
The bill admitting these states differs in
several respects from any previous bill OF
its kind. 1t makes four new states at one
sweep, while no previous bill ever made
more than two, and generally the states
have been admitted one 10y one. 1t admits
the new states by law and not 10y procla
nation Of the President. As soon as the
territories embraced in the bill have adopt
ed constitutions the President will issue hi.
proclamation merely announcing the fact
In former cases the President in his procla
nation not only announced the result Of
the election, and of the constitutional con
ventions, but he also added that the new
states were, by his proclamation, admitted
to the Union BY the terms Of this bill the
Presidents mere announcement Of the re
suit of the election in each Of the terrific
ries, makes the territory member Of the
Union
Under the bill, South Dakota will vote
upon the adoption Of the Sioux Falls con
sttution and settle the location of It's capi-
tai May A. On the same day North Da
kota, Washington and Montana will vote
for the election Of delegates to constitution
al conventions and for full list of state of
fcers. The popular vote on the adoption
of the proposed constitutions will be had on
the first Tuesday Of October and, if adopt
ed the governors of each new state may
order an election Of members Of the legisla
ture and representatives in Congress. The
legislatures thus chosen may meet and elect
two Senators each in time to take their
seats in December next, and the represen-
tatives will also be admitted then.
Dakota, as at present constituted, com
prises an area Of $50 922 square miles, and
the estimated population is about OO,oOO.
Montana is nearly as large as undivided
Dakota, comprising 1870 square miles.
The estimated population is 10 O0O Wash
ington contains an area of ~. gg4 square