The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-02-16
THE EVE OF STATEHOOD
Only the Filibustering of Southern
Democrats
Can Prevent MOntana's Admission tC
Statehood.
All Disagreements Between the Senate and
House Settled.

F. A. Carle, in telegram to the Pho
neer Press from Washington Thursday
says party lines have been broken in the
House and the cause of the Territories is
now nearer triumphant than at any time
this session. Nothing but final squirt of
filibustering on the part of the Southern
democrats prevented the house today
from formally yielding every point at is
sue between the two parties in the con
ference committee. No one on the re-
publican side doubts what the result will
be. The democratic leaders, including
Springer and Cox, are secretly or
openly in favor of the concession. No
caucus has been called, so far as is
known, and if one we're it would prob
ably be fruitless. The sincere resistance
is confined to about fifty members, mostly
to southerners, who engaged in filibuster-
ing today, and they are pledged to permit
a vote tomorrow. In all human probabil-
ity the house conferees will be instructed
to recede from all the serious points in
dispute, and the conference committee
will meet after tomorrow with nothing
except party reluctance on the senate
side in the way of an agreement. There
have been plain signs within the last few
days that it is weakening, and that bill
providing for the admission of four new
States by executive proclamation before
Congress meets in December will go to
the president for his signature-or veto
before 4th of March.
Baker, New York, offered resolution
giving the house conferees the following
instructions: First, to exclude the Ter
ritory of New Mexico from the bill;
second, to amend the bill so as to provide
for the admission of South Dakota by
proclamation of the president under the
Sioux Falls constitution; third, that the
proposed states of North Dakota, Mon
tana and Washington he admitted on the
same basis, either all by proclamation Of
the president or all by formal acts of ad-
mission. Cox, New York, offered SUBJ
stitute differing only from Bakers propo-
sition in that it provides for the admission
of North Dakota, Montana and Washing
ton by proclamation of the president.
Springer insisted on retaining in the
bill the provision for the admission of
New Mexico. Symes, Colorado, declared
that no petition had been presented, no
bill introduced to show that the people
of New Mexico desired admission into
the Union. He did not see why the peo-
pie of New Mexico should be forced into
the Union by having q provision tackled
on to the Dakota bill for political pur-
poses. Breckenridge, Kentucky, argued
against the exclusion of New Mexico.
Wilson, Minnesota, spoke against the
proposition that the House should yield
in regard to New Mexico. If it was
known that the House was firm in its
position, the Senate would rece de from its
disagreement to the House amendment.
Joseph, of New Mexico, said the old
est Territory in the Union came knocking
for the fourth time ut the doors of Con-
gress, asking for admission. He would
rather be the citizens of republican
State than Of democratic Territory.
Rogers, Arkansas, thought the time had
arrived when the whole Territorial sys-
TEN ought to be wiped out. He would
adopt a constitutional amendment pre-
venting Utah, as an impure sister, from
COuluS llItU Vic SlbtcIuOOu VI OGdtcS, duU
then admit every other Territory as a
State.
Baker accepted of Cox's resolution as
a substitute for his own. Breckenridge,
Kentucky, demanded division of the
instructions and q vote was taken upon
that part of the resolution instructing the
conferees to eliminate New Mexico from
the bill. 1t was agreed to-yeas, 1876;
nays, 1876. At the last moment Brecken-
ridge changed his vote from the mega
tive to the affirmative for the purpose of
moving a reconsideration. On motion of
Baker the motion to reconsider was laid
upon the table. The next clause voted
upon was that instructing the conferees
to amend the bill so as to provide for the
admission of South Dakota by proclama-
ton without further vote on the question
of division. This clause was agreed to-
yeas, 1877; nays, 1C2. A motion to recon-
slider and lay upon the table was made by
Baker and the yeas and nays were Or
dered on the latter motion. Brecken-
ridge interjected motion to adjourn,
but this was voted down. Baker ap-
pealed in the name of the appropriation
bills to Breckenridge not to tilibuster
against this measure. Breckenridge re-
piled that he did not intend to tilibuster
any longer than was necessary to secure a
full house to vote on the measure and
that could be secured tomorrow.
STREAkS OF LIGHTNING.
"Pickup." arrested in Butt con. Wednes