The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-16
Cleveland Signs the Bill to
Admit Utah.
Machinery in Motion by Which
to Become a State.
BIMETALLISTS HAPPY.
They Expect Great Things from
the New State.

WASHINGTON. July 16.-Private Sec
rotary Thurber has in his custody at
the White house a gold pen set in a
silver holder. The implement is. from
the artisans standpoint, a fine piece
of work, but if it fulhlls its mission it
will never be dipped in ink but once.
That will be to-day. and it will in
scribe the name Of Grover Cleveland
on a parchment headed: IAN act to
enable the people of Utah to form
constitution and state government,
and to be admitted to the union On an
equal footing with the original
states"
At first it was intended to have a
solid gold pen and holder. but as
u tab comes in as a bi-me tallic state
and the Westerners who are making
the silver fight in politics attach some
sentiment to the white metal, silver
was allowed to share honors at the
accepted ratio. After the pen has
done its work, Delegate -Rawlins of
Z tab win take possession Of it; it will
be suitably engraved and enshrined
in the state capitol of the new state
with its other historic souvenirs.
The signing of the act does not
make Utah a state, but merely sets in
motion the machinery by which she
viii become one. Decem Der of
1895 will probably be the time when
fifth star in the flag The constitu-
tiOnal convention will meet next
March to frame d state constitution,
which viii be submitted to the peO-
pie for ratification at an election in
Move Der, 1895, when the governor
and other state officers and a member
of congress will be elected. If the
constitution is ratified, and if the
president finds that 10 provides for
repu blican form Of government
Al A. r.
congress, he will issue a proclamation
announcing the fact and declaring
Utah state
The legislature elected at the No
vember election VIII meet early in
Dece m Der. and one of its first acts
senators It may be safely said the
senior senator is likely to be the pres
emit delegate from the territory. hose
fight for statehood is expected to GER
OF his congressional colleagues are
shared by his constituents
The government pays the expenses
of the territorial cOnve ntiOn, as it does
of the territorial legislatures. There
will be new registration of the
voters, upon which the apportionment
of the. seventeen delegates to consti-
tute the convention Will be made
Each county is to have at least one
delegate and one additional for every
1000 population.
First the convention must declare
on behalf of the people of the state to
adopt the constitution of the United
States. Several important require
ments for the state constitution are
made by congress; that it shall be
republican IN form and make no dis
tinctiOn in civil or political rank on
account Of race or color except as to
Indians who are not taxed; that it
shall not BE- repugnant to the con-
stitution of the United States and
the principles of the Declare ton of
Independ enee.
One of the most crucial require
ments Of the state constitution which
was evoked by the power of the Nor
mon church is that it shall provide by
ordinance irrevocable without the
consent Of the United States and the
people of the state, that perfect toll
Grafton of religious sentiment shall
be secured and that no inhabitants of
the state shall ever be mo1ested on
account of the mode of religious wor-
ship, provided that polygamous or
plural marriage are forever prOhi bit
ed. The state is to disclaim all title
to the unappropriated public lands
and all Indian tribes are to remain
under the absolute jurisdiction of the
United States.
However, the government comedies
liberal grants of lands to the state for
public purposes. One hundred sec
tions are given for public buildings at
the capital; 90, 600 acres for agri-
cultural college: two townships and
10, 900 acres for the university of
Utah; for irrigation purposes 500, 600
acres; for an insane asylum, for a re-
form school, for state normal school,
for an institution for the blind, each
10000 acres. and for a miners hos
pital so. 900 acres The United States
penitentiary, near Salt Lake City, is
given to the state.
All granted lands are to be sold at
ublic auction at not less than IS an
acre, but the state may lease them for
terms of five wears Ten per cent of
the proceeds of the sale of public
lands, after the admission of the
state, is to be paid by the government
to the state as a permanent fund for
the support of common schools, Of
which the interest only is avai1a bic.
1t will be seen that liberal provisions
are made for educational institutions
and charita bic purposes
All the educational institutions are
to remain under the exclusive control
of the state and No part of the pro-
ceeds of the land can be used for the
support of any seetarian or denOmina-
tional school
These are the principal provisions
of the con tract upon which the gov
eminent Of the fOrty-four existing
states admits to statehood the territory
of Utah Her population is now esti-
mated to be $50, 600, and the proper
ton Of foreign born is less than in
thirteen Of the states
Professor FFe1rnho1z very III