The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-03-30
THE NEW STATES.
How the Dakotas. Montana, and WASH
ington VIII Join the Union.
The SpringEand Fall Elections at Home
Territorial Lands and LA
bilities The Presidents
Proclamation.

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Territorial Lands and LA
bilities-The Presidents
Proclamation.
The great majority Of the civilized
people in the United States and in
the territories are aware by this
time that there are soon to be adj
mitted into the Union four new
states. When they will be admitted
or what the mode Of procedure will
be is to most Of them a closed book.
So many and SO confusing have been
the efforts to crown these territories
with statehood that the public mind
has failed to follow the devious
courses of Legislative ecccntricity.
and now al that il known is that
there will be, at some time in the fu-
ture, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Montana and Washington. The
greater interest has centered on the
Dakotas, due, doubtless, to their i'm
mepse area and extraordinary fer
tility, and this interest was largelyin-
creased by the stubborn fight which
took place on the question of admit
ting Dakota as one or two states, or
whether one portion of Dakota should
be admitted as state, while the
balance should continue to be ter
ritory. After long struggle in
Congress it was finally decided to
divide Dakota on the forty sixth
parallel and to admit the two sec
tions as states.
On April Is next the governors Of
the four territories are required to
issue proclamations declaring that
on May IA there shall be an cleo
ton for delegates to the conventions
which are to be held on the 4th of
July to ratify or reject the constitu-
tions which were, in Dakota, some
what prematurely adopted. The
North Dakota delegates will meet at
Bismarck, while their southern
brethren are instructed to assemble
at Sioux Falls. The Montana and
Washington delegates can meet
where they please.
All persons who are qualified, un-
der the Territorial laws, to vote will
be permitted to cast their ballots in
the election of delegates, and the
candidates for delegates are quail
fled for election to the territorial
legislature is sufficient to establish
their eligibility as delegates. The
territories are mapped out in dis
triets, and each district is entitled
to three delegates. Each voter will
be allowed the privilege of voting
for two delegates. The total num-
Der of delegates in each convention
is to be seventy five.
The manner in which the dele
gates shall proceed in convention
has been laid down clearly in the en-
abling act. AS soon as an organic
alton has been effected the delegates
are to declare, on behalf of the peo-
pie of the proposed states, that they
adopt the Constitution of the United
States, and as soon as that has been
done the conventions are authorized
to form constitutions and state gov
ernments, respectively. 1t is provid-
ed that the constitutions shall be
republican in form, and shall make
no distinction In civil or political
rights on account of race or color.
except as to Indians not taxed, and
shall not be repugnant to the Con
stitution of the United States and
principles of the declaration Of In
dependence. The conventions are
also required to provide, by ordi-
nances irrevocable without the CON
sent Of the United States, that per-
feet liberation of religious sentiment
shall be secured and that no inhabi-
tant Of the states shall ever be mo-
Tested in person or property on &C.
count of his or her mode Of religious
worship. The people of the propos-
ed states are also to disclaim all
right and title to the unappropriated
public lands lying within the boun-
daries of those states, and to all lands
held by or for Indians.
The debts and liabilities of the
territories are to be assumed and
paid by the states which succeed the
territories, respectively, and provis-
ion is to be made by each state for
the establishment and maintainence
Of systems Of public schools, which
shall be open to all the children of
the respective states, and free from
sectarian control.
There is possibility, somewhat
remote of couise, but still a possi-
bility, that there may be delay in
the admission of one or more Of the
proposed states. This hitch can
only take place if the people Of either
territory shall refuse, at the election,
which takes place on October l, to
ratify the constitution prepared by
the convention for that particular
territory. If that should occur then
the present territorial form of gov
eminent would continue, so far as
that territory was concerned, while
the governor of the territory set a
day for another election and had an
other convention frame another and
a more popular state constitu-
ton.
The constitutional conventions of
North Dakota and South Dakota
are required to appoint a joint com
mission, composed Of not less than
three members Of each convention,
and this commission is to assemble
at Bismarck and there agree upon
an equitable division Of the property
and the territory. The commission
is also to dispose of the public rec
ords and adjust and agree upon the
amount of the debts and liabili-
ties of the territory which shall be
assumed and paid by each Of the
proposed states of North Dakota
and South Dakota. This agreement
is to be Incorporated in the constitu-
\ tians nf tho two etatea and each