Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-02-17
Sunday, February IL, 1889.
ADMISSION.

The recent action of the house OF
representatives in ceding all the points
demanded by the senate conference
committee, which were deemed insur-
mountable obstacles to the admission
of the territories at this session of o o
gress, has strengthened the outlook
for early admission very perceptibly;
In fact has made IL q certainty. With
this desirable feature Of our political
entity so nearly assured the query
comes to most Of US, What must we do
TO become a state? Judging from
what has recently been done in con
gress, or rather In the lower house. the
omnibus bill will be 30 amended. as to
provide for the admission of the terri
tories by executive proclamation. II
this is done South Dakota will. stimuli
taneously with the proclamation, be-
come q state by reason Of that COM
monweslth having already provided
all the requisite machinery of state
government, requiring only the assent
Of congress through the executive to
set Il In motion. But with Montana
and Washington the condition Of
affairs is different and perplexing.
Montana Is In slightly better condi-
ton than either North Dakota or
Washington. having already framed
and adopted its constitution, but q
constitution however perfect in itself
IL merely the organic law Of the new
commonwealth and without officers
TO legally carry out its provisions is a
comparatively useless piece Of furni-
ture. The absorbing question lie. how
can we best and most expeditiously
prepare ourselves for the acceptance of
statehood. Ii is plain to be seen that
executive proclamation cannot start
the wheels Of government where no
wheels exist, and therefore such proc
lamstion must carry with 1t the order
to, at some future time. proceed to the
election OF state officials and when
this has been accomplished to sgaiu
report to the seat of national govern
ment 10 receive the impetus that is to
set the wheels In motion. Thus while
theoretical statehood IL already crowd.
ing us, the practical article seems to be
q good way of, for il seems to be u
generally accepted fact, though why
we do not know, that the elections FOR
state officers under executive procla-
nation will be set for November next.
The ablest minds In the territory are
now critically discussing this question
both publicly and privately. In . re.
cent issue Of the Helena Herald, Col.
Sanders contributed q lengthy and
exhaustive dissertation on the subject
In which he took the ground that
Montana should without delay follow
the example Of South Dakota In elect.
ing . full complement Of state officers
30 ~ to be ready at any time to become
q state In fact rs well as In name.
Though Col. Sanders' argument wss
written when he believed las he freely
admits that the present congress
would do nothing for US, and the pros
poets Of aid from an extra session Of
the incoming congress was not prom
Using, the advice given is no less po-
tent now, when there Is every i1dica
ton that ere many days the looked for
legislation will be had. The ~initiatory
step lies with our present legislature
to provide for a state election at some
future day and as Col. Sanders clearly
shows there is nothing unconstitution.
aDr presumptuous In the act, we be-
lieve IL Is the proper thing TO do.