The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-03-01
-FOUR NEW STATES.

4
the bill admitting as States Of the Union
Washington, Montana. North and South
Dakota. Though the Democracy gave
up its opposition when it saw the admis-
sion of the Territories inevitable, and
though the bill is signed by Democrat
ic president, still, there is very little
that the people Of Dakota and the other
Territories have thai party to thank for.
1t is the friends of right and justice IN
the Republican ranks who have for 80
many months fought the battles for
these new States, and it is that party
which will and should reap the benefit
of this addition to the. balls of legisla-
ton, while the entire country will be
richer and better for the admission OF
four large, progressive States, The new
States will have representatives In both
houses of the Fiftv-first Congress before
its term expires, and possibly before 1t
completes its irst session. The bill adj
hitting North and South DAkota, Wash
ington and Montana Territories to State
hood, though encounterlng opposition
solely from Democratic members, is not
partisan in intent or purpose. South
Dakota will return Republican Senators
and Congressman beyond all doubt, and
there are more chances for Republican
than Democratic success in North Dako-
tn, though parties may be closely balan-
ced, but in Washington and Montana
the Democrats would have more than q
fighting chance were they well drilled
and we'll differed; it is, however, likely
that all the Senators from the new States
will be Republican and most of the Rep
resentatives, for the Western Democrats
are as adept in the art of laundering as
are their Eastern and Southern breth-
rem. The opposition from the Southern
tier was natural, for even should Demo
cratic delegations be sent to Congress
from any or all of the new States by 80
much would Southern supremacy in the
party be endangered. The sectlonalism
of Southern Democracy never presented
itself in more undisguised forr than in
that of opposition to the measure which
has just passed.
In an interesting article containing
much information regarding the new
States and the workings of the bill adj
hitting tn m, the Inter- Ocean states that
the area occupied by the new States is
far greater than that of all the States
represented in the first Congress. The
taxable wealth contained in them is
greater than that of any six of the origi-
nal thirteen States of the Union. The
new States are capable of feeding, cloth
ing, housing, and warming from the
grain, wool, and meat raised upon their
own plains and from the coal and iron
and stone raised from their own mines
a population far exceeding that of all
the States washed by the Atlantic ocean.
They come in with most magnificen mt ed
ucational endowments of millions of
acres of school and college lands, none
of which is to be sold for less than $40,
and much of which may be expected
speedily to sell at $40 per acre. They
will come in with constitutions liberal
as the liberal Western lnino ,a.. COM
ceive. They are hampered IN no Iaay.
North Dakota has yet to frame her bon
stitution, South Dakota is to determine
whether it will accept the Sioux ssIalls
constitution or frame new one. W sh-
ington and Montana already have con-
situations passed. Constitutional con-
ventions will convene in all the new
States on the 4th of July next and, after
ratifying the constitutions already
framed or adopting new ones, will make
solemn declaration of their acceptance
of the Constitution of the United Ststes
as the supreme organic law. The con-
situations approved by the conventions
will be submitted to a popular vote on
the first Tuesday in October, and if ac-
copied by the people OF the four States
and approved by the President of the
United States, a presidential proclama-
ton will then announce the formal en-
try Of North Dakota. South. Dakota,
Washington and Montana into the sis
terhood of States.
Tow Tnwpy danioe tho rapnrf that ha