The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-14
SAC0S DELEGATION FEELING HOPEFUL
The Public Buildings Sub Commit
tee Favors This Bill.
Wyoming, Which Ceographers Have
Described as a Wilderness,
Is Knocking For Admission at the
Door Of the Union.


Especial TO the Press.l
WASHINGTON, March 13-The Saco dele
CATION are feeling quite hopeful that they will
get report from the public buildings COM
mitteefavorable to their bill.
The subcommittee, which has been con-
sidering the advisability of an issue of frac-
tional paper currency, reported unfavorably
to the banking and currency committee to-
day. This report was discussed at some
length by the full committee. 1t seemed to
be the sense of the committee that some ac-
tion should be taken in the matter, and a
majority of the members expressed them
selves in favor of establishing fractional
paper currency in connection with the postal
service. 1t was finally agreed that consulta-
tions should be held with the Postmaster
General and the House committee on post
offices and post roads concerning the matter.
Mr.. Cannon Of Illinois is chairman of the
appropriations committee, and his opinion
about the cry of extravaganza raised by the
Democrats is of value, Mr. Cannon said tC-
day: "The appropriations for the next fis-
cal year will not exceed those of the current
year, except to the extent that the aggregate
is increased by pension and public buildings
legislation. l think a pension bill will be
passed, doing justice to the soldiers, without
footing the treasury. The disabled soldiers
will be cared for without requiring an expen-
dture of more than $4O,0O0,0O per year. The
public buildings committee will
have to be very extravagant
to make their expenditures more
than those by the committee during the
last Congress. l think that after all the reg
ular appropriations are made there will be
margin of 100000 for reduction of the
revenue. When you come to talking about
what may be done-what extraordinary eX-
penditure may be authorized-there is moth
ing to base statement on. That's all spec
ulation"
New Stars for the Flag.
1t will probably be the privilege of this
Congress to add to the flag two more stars,
the territories of Wyoming and Idaho, in the
order named. Wyoming, within the memory
of the child yet in school, little known to any
but hunters, miners and explorers, and put
down in the Biographies accompanied by the
familiar picture of the Indian shooting ar
rows into the side of the buffalo, has knock
ed at the door of the Union. She backs her
claim for admittance by displaying thrifty
and industrious population living under laws
and institutions such as many older and
larger commonwealths might do we'll to
study. Idaho, which will probably be con-
sldered second, is a somewhat older terri
tory.
The Democrats in the House, under the
lead of Mr.. Springer of Illinois, have shown
disposition to antagonize the bills for the
admission OF Wyoming and Idaho unless at
shall be admitted. Many of the Republicans
also would ike to see New Mexico admitted.
but there are many complications in the way
in the shape of unadjuSted land grant
troubles, and large. population of foreign
of this country nor sympathize with our in
stitutions. So it would not be surprising if
the, House should take In Wyoming and
Idaho and leave out New Mexico. If .his
should be done four Republican United
States Senators and at least two Republican
congressman would be added to the next
Congress. This will be reason enough why
Mr.. Springer and the Democrats will oppose
it, Wyoming, over which there has already
been skirmish in the House, will come up
at once.
The territory is all ready for admission.
Its constitution was submitted to the people
on the 9TH of last November and adopted by
them by an overwhelming majority. Some
of the provisions of that constitution are
worth noticing, for the ideas of government
held forth in them. The first clause de-
clares that the state of Wyoming sis an in
separable part of the federal union" and that
the constitution of the United States is the
supreme law of the land" Clause declares
that ''perfect liberation of religious senti-
ment shall be secured, and no inhab'tant of
this state shall ever be molested in person or
property on account of his or her mode of
religious worship" The suffrage is also
manhoods uffrage, except for the usual stip-
three Clauses us Of the Constitution 90 farther
than any other constitution in the Union of
States:
The rights of the citizens of the state of Wyom-
ing to vote and hold office shall not be denied
or abridged on account of sex. Both male and
female citizens of this state shall equally enjoy
all CIVIL political and religious rights and privileg
No person shall have the right to vote who
shall not be able to read the constitution Of this
state. The provisions of this section shall not ap-
ply to any person prevented by physical disability
All elections shall be by ballot. he legisla-
ture shall provide bylaw that the names of
an Gandldates for me same once, to be voted for
lot, at public expense, and on election day TO be
delivered TO the voters within the polling place
by sworn public officials and only such ballots so
delivered shall be received and counted But no
voter shall be deprived of the privilege of writing
upon the ballot used the name of any other can
privacy in the preparation of their ballots and the
secrecy of the ballot shall be made compulsory.
Here are established in the constitution
woman suffrage, the educational qualica-
tion for voters and the Australian ballot,
changes which in other states are being bat
tied for with varying successes. The con-
stitution Of Wyoming also establishes the
state university in which the youth of the
territory are to be educated free and without
regard to sex. color, race or religion.
How great territory is thus coming in
under such constitution as this is difficult
for native Of the East to comprehend ex-
cept by comparisons. The area of Wyom-
ing, which equals that of Delaware, New
Jersey, Kentucky, and New York combined.
is $4,000 square miles or G.. .00O, 600 acres. This
ais, Humber and in arabic lands. And
in what are known as the ''arid lands"
1t is yet so situated that irrigation will be
easy. From estimates made by Professor
Powell, the chief of the geological survey.
and Professor Meade, the water engineer of
the territory, it is believed there is sufficient
moisture precipitated in the territory to re-
claim one fifth Of its entire area or 10000, 900
acres. 1t is believed that in addition to the
lands that may be reclaimed. there are four
or five millions of acres in the territory that
may be successfully cultivated without the
aid OF irrigation. The soil is q rich black
loan, and is very productive where culti-
Yated.
AS an evidence OF the progress of the peO-
pie it may be mentioned that in every city
and town of any size good graded schools
are maintained. In addition to this there is
university supported at public expense,
offering free higher education to the youth
CT the territory. The governor of the terri
tory estimates the school property, exclusive
of the lands, to be Of the value of $l,000,000.
The territory is annually expending nearly
$25O.0o0 for educational purposes. The peo-
pie have raised dur ing the last 10 years for
this purpose over S1,0OO,000. There are also
80 well conducted newspapers, four of which
are daily and have the Associated Press
dispatches.
MAINE.