Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1882-05-17
he clanton Convention.


~ UMGukM 4uSOsaWD ~ csaOC, WnAO
tle people who do not belong to the
association believe that the balance
of southern Dakota Chat portion
lying west Of the Missouri river)
should have something to say about
~ construction Of . government
under which they are 70 exist. The
addre1 outlines the points to be dis
cussed ~ the association at it's meet
ing at Canton next month, and
through this proclamation the pub
lie learns that the members thereof
desire 10 enforce q reasonable restric-
ton on taxation; to limit the debt
making power Of the state; the pro-
hibition Of special legislation; pro-
lection against tho ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Of monopolies; ample safeguards for
preserving the school fund intact,
and for preventing the sale Of school
lands 1t low prices; provision for
the universal establishment Of the
township eystem Of government;
and, finally, q constitutional conven-
tion Of not less than two hundred
members. These are in brief the
points upon which the argument Of
the subcommittee is based. We
are free to assert that there is no
honest resident Of Dakota, either in
the association or out Of it, who
would not favor every proposition
advanced to the extent of his ability.
The subjects treated upon have been
discussed and generally agreed upon
from the inception Of the statehood
idea and the only work which lies
before the coming convention is to
crystalize popular opinion and pre-
sent it in tangible shape. So far as
this portion of the labor Of the con-
vention is concerned the object of
the gathering is q most worthy one.
Taking this view of the subject, il is
difficult to understand why the call
should not have been general in its
nature, and the coming meeting
should be restricted to the few who
are willing to afiix their signatures
To- series Of printed questions, many
Of them entirely foreign to the ideas
promulgated in the latter address of
the subcommittee. The implica-
ton is that the masses do not desire
TO perpetuate in a constitutional en-
actment the excellent points propo-
sed by the community, and that the
association has banded itself togeth-
er as the vehicle Of right, Of honor, of
perfect Interpretation Of the law, for
the protection of the coming state
against those whom Git is imagined)
would recklessly disregard the bet
ter elements Of fundamental provis-
ions. 1t should not be understood
that we charge anything of the sort
upon the association. But this
seems to be the popular outside inn
preston and we reflect it, not in
spirit Of hostility or Of criticism, but
because the feeling exists. It is
presumed that the address covers all
the points to be discussed by the
convention and it will be readily seen
that there is no suggestion upon the
programme announced which would
not be adopted BY large majority
of the voters Of Dakota, if embodied
III constitution submitted for their
ratification. There is, it is true,
clause in the address which may
mean little or nothing. It invites
the people to carefully consider and
discuss beforehand the points pre-
scented, and others they deem i'm
portant." Under this head it is not
imposible that the subject Of prohib-
;tiuu may BE- discussed, and there is
also hint in the preliminary call
that proposition win come before
the convention to leave the Black
Hills end of the territory out in the
cold when state boundaries are de-
fined. Prohibition can only be &C
complished by majority vote of
the people, while the separation of
the Hills country from the state Of
Dakota should come through the
congressional enabling act. If there
exists within the association astrong
desire To enact q constitutional pro-
hibitory measure, its members would
naturally prefer TO have the Hills,
with its large anti-prohibition vote,
left out If the slate. But the mass
- will never agree that Dakota shall
Be crippled for all its future, even in
fnrtherancc Of an object which the
reformatory element believes TO be
the acme Of human accomplish
naents. The convention will meet
on the It'll Of June. It will be a
gathering which will attract the ut
tention Of all southern Dakota.
The highest maIket price is
Maid far audited acCDunts Nv