Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-01-26
TidIngs
BRIGHT PROSPECTS.
Senators at Washington 0verhauliug
the New States
Bill.
Dakota Opposition Weakening--New Mex.
leo Making New and Fast
Friends.


territorial admission bills seem a little
brighter to-day, and considerable por
ton Of the day was spent by the friends
of the measure in consultation over the
changes which are desired in the bill
The principal changes to be made are
those desired by the Dakota people, and
they are consequently managing the
whole affair. A meeting of Dakota peo-
pie, attended by Senator-Elect Moody,
Delegate Clifford, Delegate-Elect Mathews,
Chief Justice Tripp and Justice Spencer,
was held in Senator Davis committee
room this afternoon, at the close OF which
the Dakotans adjourned to the room of
the senate committee on territories and
held conference with Senators Platt and
Henderson, of that committee. During
their meeting the. Dakotans ratified a
number of amendments to the omnibus
bill, which will make it more satisfactory
These amendments were drawn by Judge
Moody, and proposed, among other things,
to do away with the vote on division pro.
vided for in the Springer bill. ltis desirous
that congress should provide arbitrarily
for the division of the territory without
further campaigning upon the subject.
Another amendment provides for the
adoption Of the Sioux Falls constitution
without holding another constitutional
convention. Further details of the bill
are amended in various ways, all relating
to Dakota. 1t is the purpose of Dakotans
to let the provisions in relation to new
election Of officers and ON the question OF
locating the temporary seat OF govern.
ment stand as they are in the omnibus
bill.
ERRORS DISCOVERED.
It was decided by Senators Plat and
Manderson, after their conference with
the Dakota people, to call meeting of
the committee on territories and allow
them to explain their proposed amend
ment and then decide upon the line of
action to be adopted.
F. W. Carter, the newly elected dele
gate from Washington territory, and p.
B. johnson, of the Walla Walia Daily
Union, have arrived in the city and will
remain here until the end of the session.
They will also appear before the senate
committee and ask for certain changes in
the omnibus bill for Washington territory.
They have found gross error in the bill
which they desire changed. One section
Of the bill provides explicitly for the ad-
mission of Washington by proclamation
of the president as soon as size shall have
adopted her constitution, while later
section provides that all of the territories
mentioned in the bill shall be admitted
only upon acceptance of their constitution
by q subsequent act of congress.
SENATE COMMITTEE.
In accordance with the wishes of Sena-
tor Platt, the senate committee on terri
tories held long session yesterday and
occupied its entire time in considering the
omnibus bill.
An examination of the text of the bill
shows that it has many lncongruities, and
that it Is by no means certain that south
Dakota and Montana could be admitted
on an executive proclamation that the
terms Of the act have been complied with,
as has been assumed by the supporters
OF the measure would be the case. On
the contrary, the lawyers who have ex-
amined the measure maintain that it is
inconsistent, and that there is certain
phraseology in 1t which would prevent
such construction. For instance, Sec. 10
states that all state governments in the
territories named, "shall remain Ill abey.
ance until the constitution framed by said
convention shall be approved by con-
gress." Further in the bill declaration
is made that when the constitution so
framed is approved by congress, and such
state is admitted into the union by the
special act of congress therefor,
the senators and representatives shall be
admitted to seats in congress. There is
no exception made to this classification as
10 Southern Dakota or Montana. 1t NAV
be that the bill il contradictory, but, il it
is, it, Of course, will require amendments,
and it may be doubted whether the bill
could pass II it should become necessary
to send 1t again to the house. The feature
which recommends 1t most to the Repub-
licans OF the senate Is that, il ena ted, It
would secure the immediate admission OF
South Dakota and Montana, with only the
formally 81 ths executive proclamation