The  Promises  are  the  Same!

Hawaii  –  the  last  and  Western-­‐most  State  “…  the  United  States  grants  to  the  State  of  Hawaii,  effective  upon  its  admission  into  the  Union,  the  United  States’  title  to  all  the  public  lands  and  other  public  property  within  the  boundaries  of  the  State  of  Hawaii,  title  to  which  is  held  by  the  United  States  immediately  prior  to  its  admission  into  the  Union.”  Hawaii  Enabling  Act,  March  18,  1959

Some  say  that  western  states  gave  up  (“forever  disclaimed”)  their  lands  at  statehood.    This  doesn’t  make  sense!  The  statehood  contracts  (“enabling  acts”)  for  the  transfer  of  public  lands  are  largely  the  same  for  states  east  and  west  of  Colorado.      Here  is  a  side-­‐by-­‐side  comparison  of  the  enabling  acts  of  Utah  vs.  North  Dakota  and  Nevada  vs.  Nebraska.    The  enabling  acts  of  other  western  states  are  nearly  identical.    The  performance  of  the  federal  government  IS  NOT!    Here  are  links  to  a  Legal  Analysis  of  Transfer  of  Public  Lands  Legislation  commissioned  by  the  Federalist  Society  and  an  Executive  Summary.

North  Dakota  Enabling  Act,  February  22,  1889

49.4%  Federally  controlled  in  18963%  Federally  Controlled  Today

Utah  Enabling  Act,  March  21,  1864

86%  Federally  Controlled  in  189667%  Federally  Controlled  Today

“The  constitution  shall  be  republican  in  form,  …  and  not  be  repugnant  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the  principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  And  said  conventions  shall  provide,  by  ordinances  irrevocable  without  the  consent  of  the  United  States  and  the  people  of  said  States:-­”  Section  4,  Preamble,  ND,  SD,  MT,  WA  Enabling  Act,  February  22,  1889

“The  constitution  shall  be  republican  in  form,  …  and  not  to  be  repugnant  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the  principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  And  said  convention  shall  provide,  by  ordinance  irrevocable  without  the  consent  of  the  United  States  and  the  people  of  said  State-­-­”  Section  3,  Preamble,  Utah  Enabling  Act,  July  16,  1894

“That  the  people  inhabiting  said  proposed  States  do  agree  and  declare  that  they  forever  disclaim  all  right  and  title  to  the  unappropriated  public  lands  lying  within  the  boundaries  thereof,  …  and  that  until  the  title  thereto  shall  have  been  extinguished  by  the  United  States,  the  same  shall  be  and  remain  subject  to  the  disposition  of  the  United  States,  and  …  no  taxes  shall  be  imposed  by  the  States  on  lands  or  property  therein  belonging  to  or  which  may  hereafter  be  purchased  by  the  United  States  or  reserved  for  its  use;”  Section  4,  Second,  ND,  SD,  MT,  WA  Enabling  Act,  February  22,  1889

“That  the  people  inhabiting  said  proposed  State  do  agree  and  declare  that  they  forever  disclaim  all  right  and  title  to  the  unappropriated  public  lands  lying  within  the  boundaries  thereof;  …  and  that  until  the  title  thereto  shall  have  been  extinguished  by  the  United  States,  the  same  shall  be  and  remain  subject  to  the  disposition  of  the  United  States,  and  …  no  taxes  shall  be  imposed  by  the  State  on  lands  or  property  therein  belonging  to  or  which  may  hereafter  be  purchased  by  the  United  States  or  reserved  for  its  use;”  Section  3,  Second,  Utah  Enabling  Act,  July  16,  1894

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“And  if  the  constitutions  and  governments  of  said  proposed  States  are  republican  in  form,  and  if  all  the  provisions  of  this  Act  have  been  complied  with  in  the  formation  thereof,  is  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  issue  his  proclamation  announcing  the  result  of  said  election  in  each,  and  thereupon  the  proposed  States  which  have  adopted  constitutions  and  formed  State  governments  as  herein  provided  shall  be  deemed  admitted  by  Congress  into  the  Union  under  and  by  virtue  of  this  act  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  States  from  and  after  the  date  of  said  proclamation.”  Section  8,  ND,  SD,  MT,  WA  Enabling  Act,  February  22,  1889

“And  if  the  constitution  and  government  of  said  proposed  State  are  republican  in  form,  and  if  all  the  provisions  of  this  Act  have  been  complied  with  in  the  formation  thereof,  is  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  issue  his  proclamation  announcing  the  result  of  said  election,  and  thereupon  the  proposed  State  of  Utah  shall  be  deemed  admitted  by  Congress  into  the  Union,  under  and  by  virtue  of  this  Act,  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  States,  from  and  after  the  date  of  said  proclamation.”  Section  4,  Utah  Enabling  Act,  July  16,  1894

“That  upon  admission  of  each  of  said  States  into  the  Union  sections  numbered  sixteen,  and  thirty-­six  in  every  township  of  said  proposed  States,  and  where  such  sections,  or  any  parts  thereof,  have  been  sold  or  otherwise  disposed  of  by  or  under  any  act  of  Congress,  other  lands  equivalent  thereto  …  are  hereby,  granted  to  said  States  for  the  support  of  common  schools,  …”  Section  10,  ND,  SD,  MT,  WA  Enabling  Act,  February  22,  1889

“That  upon  admission  of  said  State  into  the  Union,  sections  numbered  two,  sixteen,  thirty-­two,  and  thirty-­six  in  every  township  of  said  proposed  State,  and  where  such  sections  or  any  parts  thereof  have  been  sold  or  otherwise  disposed  of  by  or  under  any  Act  of  Congress  other  lands  equivalent  thereto  …  are  hereby,  granted  to  said  State  for  the  support  of  common  schools,  …”  Section  6,  Utah  Enabling  Act,  July  16,  1894

“That  Iive  per  centum  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  public  lands  lying  within  said  States  which  shall  be  sold  by  the  United  States  subsequent  to  the  admission  of  said  States  into  the  Union,  after  deducting  all  expenses  incident  to  the  same,  shall  be  paid  to  the  said  States,  to  be  used  as  a  permanent  fund,  the  interest  of  which  only  shall  be  expended  for  the  support  of  the  common  schools  within  said  States,  respectively.”  Section  9,  ND,  SD,  MT,  WA  Enabling  Act,  February  22,  1889

“That  Iive  per  centum  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  public  lands  lying  within  said  State,  which  shall  be  sold  by  the  United  States  subsequent  to  the  admission  of  said  State  into  the  Union,  after  deducting  all  expenses  incident  to  the  same,  shall  be  paid  to  the  said  State,  to  be  used  as  a  permanent  fund,  the  interest  of  which  only  shall  be  expended  for  the  support  of  the  common  schools  within  said  State.”  Section  9,  Utah  Enabling  Act,  July  16,  1894

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Nebraska  Enabling  Act,  April  19,  1864

22%  Federally  Controlled  in  18961%  Federally  Controlled  Today

Nevada  Enabling  Act,  March  21,  1864

86%  Federally  Controlled  in  189681%  Federally  Controlled  Today

“Provided,  That  the  constitution  when  formed  shall  be  republican,  and  not  repugnant  to  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the  principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence;  And  provided  further,  That  said  constitution  shall  provide,  by  an  article  forever  irrevocable,  without  the  consent  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States:”  Section  4,  Preamble,  Nebraska  Enabling  Act,  April  19,  1864

“Provided,  That  the  constitution  when  formed  shall  be  republican,  and  not  repugnant  to  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the  principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence;  And  provided  further,  That  said  constitution  shall  provide,  by  an  ordinance  irrevocable,  without  the  consent  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  and  the  people  of  said  state:”  Section  4,  Preamble,  Nevada  Enabling  Act,  March  21,  1864

“That  the  people  inhabiting  said  territory  do  agree  and  declare  that  they  forever  disclaim  all  right  and  title  to  the  unappropriated  public  lands  lying  within  said  territory,  and  that  the  same  shall  be  and  remain  at  the  sole  and  entire  disposition  of  the  United  States,  and  that  …  no  taxes  shall  be  imposed  by  said  state  on  lands  or  property  therein  belonging  to  or  which  may  hereafter  be  purchased  by  the  United  States.”  Section  5,  Third,  Nebraska  Enabling  Act,  April  19,  1864

“That  the  people  inhabiting  said  territory  do  agree  and  declare  that  they  forever  disclaim  all  right  and  title  to  the  unappropriated  public  lands  lying  within  said  territory,  and  that  the  same  shall  be  and  remain  at  the  sole  and  entire  disposition  of  the  United  States,  and  that  …  no  taxes  shall  be  imposed  by  said  state  on  lands  or  property  therein  belonging  to  or  which  may  hereafter  be  purchased  by,  the  United  States.”  Section  5,  Third,  Nevada  Enabling  Act,  March  21,  1864

“…  declaring  the  state  admitted  into  the  Union  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  states,  without  any  further  action  whatever  on  the  part  of  congress.”  Section  5,  Nebraska  Enabling  Act,  April  19,  1864

“…  declaring  the  state  admitted  into  the  Union  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  states,  without  any  further  action  whatever  on  the  part  of  congress.”  Section  5,  Nevada  Enabling  Act,  March  21,  1864    (See  also,  Section  1)

“That  sections  numbered  sixteen  and  thirty-­six  in  every  township,  and  when  such  section  have  been  sold  or  otherwise  disposed  of  by  any  act  of  congress,  other  lands  equivalent  thereto  …  shall  be,  and  are  hereby,  granted  to  said  state  for  the  support  of  common  schools.”  Section  7,  Nebraska  Enabling  Act,  April  19,  1864

“That  sections  numbered  sixteen  and  thirty-­six  in  every  township,  and  where  such  sections  have  been  sold  or  otherwise  disposed  of  by  any  act  of  congress,  other  lands  equivalent  thereto  …  shall  be,  and  are  hereby,  granted  to  said  state  for  the  support  of  common  schools.”  Section  7,  Nevada  Enabling  Act,  March  21,  1864

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“That  Iive  per  centum  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  all  public  lands  lying  within  said  state,  which  have  been  or  shall  be  sold  by  the  United  States  prior  or  subsequent  to  the  admission  of  said  state  into  the  Union,  after  deducting  all  expenses  incident  to  the  same,  shall  be  paid  to  the  said  state  for  the  support  of  common  schools.”  Section  12,  Nebraska  Enabling  Act,  April  19,  1864

“That  Iive  per  centum  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  all  public  lands  lying  within  said  state,  which  shall  be  sold  by  the  United  States  subsequent  to  the  admission  of  said  state  into  the  Union,  after  deducting  all  expenses  incident  to  the  same,  shall  be  paid  to  the  said  state  for  the  purpose  of  making  and  improving  public  roads,  constructing  ditches  or  canals,  to  effect  a  general  system  of  irrigation  of  the  agricultural  land  in  the  state,  as  the  legislature  shall  direct.”  Section  12,  Nevada  Enabling  Act,  March  21,  1864

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