The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-22
SIOUX FALLS CONVENTION

|
Sioux FALLS Sept lit is estimated tha
the work Of the constitutional convention coul
- well be pronounced finished by Saturday mex
II snch labor rs was performed TO- day wer
= kept up About half Of the committees hav
a | reported, and those that have not submitted
. | reports have them near.y ready 10 place before
& | the convention. To morrow the scope Of worl
| Will be In the hands Of the comm t,e
a | OF the whole. The strictest rules Of econom,
are observed IN the matter presente |. Will
| considerable specific legislation Is referred t
} The legislature very much of IL goes there
, | Cooper d, " that lis referred, with instructions
to the legislature az to how far il NAV 60 There
1 Is general desire to 80 frame the constitution
{ that the state cannot become involved in debt
. The report OF the committee on county, state
and municipal indebtedness contained a sec
| tloh which provides that
The State shall not loan its credit or make dona-
lions, except III case OF public calamity, in aid Of
any individual association or corporation. nor sub.
scribe to or become the owner OF the capital stock
| OF any association or corporation. engage ia
| any work of internal Improvement Another sac-
ton provides for defrayng extraordinary exnenses
making pubic improvements, etc, but stipulates
| ihat the aggregate amount shall not exceed $780,
| 900.
| These are but sample instances OF the safe
guards that are thrown around the powers
usually granted legislatures bv constitutions
| The trainers OF this constitution are bent on
making a basis Of State government for future
generations, as well a. one or which they
may be admitted 10 Statehood Two other
sections bear upon tho powers Of counties,
cities and towns to
| INCUR INDEBTEDNESS.
| They cannot incur ali excess of 3 per cent Of
| assessed valuation and interest must not accu-
mulae. section on public accounts and ex-
| pendltures provides that the legislature caunot
| grant extra compensation To any public officer
| nor authorize The payment OF any extra claim
| after contract has been made. wide s.ope
| OF freedom IL presented in the lengthy bin of
| rights. Among the clauses embraced in IL are
liberty Of the press, free religion. trial by Jury
etc, Persons before conviction made baa ex.
cept In capital ofenses; writs of habeas corpus not
10 be suspended: the grand iury 10 consist of
Twelve persons. any nine OF wnom may nud an 10
dictment: but the legislature may abolish the grand
jury system NO "ex-post iac,o' law can be passed
10y the legislature. No distinction shall be made be-
tween resident aliens and citizens in reference to the
enjoyment or des eut OF their property No uer-
son can be imurisoned tor debt. The military shall
be IN strct snburdinatlOu 10 the civil power Wri's
OF error are never 10 be- prohibited 10y law No tax
is 10 he imposed without the consent of the people
Yesterday, III adopting the report from the
committee on elections and right Of suffrage,
the sec ION giving womai the ballot at school |
elections aud making her eligible to hold |
school offices, was stricken ont. IL came back |
to-day from the committee, couched IN differ |
ent language, but implying the same priv eyes |
Two reports were subnl,toi from the commit |
tee on rights OF married women. ami il is not |
improbable that considerable debate will be |
had upon the question.
They involve the majority say, the real and per. |
sonai estate OF every female ACQUIRED before mar
rage aud all property of which she mas afterwards
bee me entitled by gift, grant, Inheritance or de-
wise, shall and remain yie estate aud property OF
such female, and shall
NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE DEBTS,
obligations or payments Of her hush md, aud NAV |
be devised or inserted by her as If she was unmar-
red; that the wife shah have an absolute one In rd
OF ali the real estate of her husband Owned by him
at The time of his death, as her dover: while TIE
minority believing IN giving the husband fair |
chance, hold that all real aud personal |
property. and all earnings of every married man
or woman shall be and remain his or hers: and the
jtct 10 the contrib nor be Hsbfe f5a the Debts or
obligations Of the other and may be devised by
will by either the same II unmarried hut the
homestead OF any family not exceeding 100 acres,
not included in any city or village. exCee ing
$1,000 in value within city or village, owned by
the husba I'd or wife, shall not be sold by one with
out the consent Of the other. aud in case OF the
dea'l Of the the other shall become the sole
owner Of the homestead
resolution from Judge Moody was received
ana referred. which Instructed the executive
committee u take INTO consideration and re-
port proposition for Incorporation into tho
constitution. providing for limiting the pardon
ing power Of the governor hy creating board |
of pardon upon whose recommendation and
investigation, shall pardon be granted.
PROHIBITION AGAIN
Quite q number of petitions were received
from different localities, asking that prohib- |
ton be submitted to a vote of the peope when
the constitution is presented for ratification |
There are few who believe the issue can be o.
caped, aud that il had b ter be voted upon as
an entirely separate measure from the consti-
tuition A committee will be appointed to de- |
wise scheme for presenting the question to a
ponulsr vote. Many who oppose prohibi-
ton favor submitting the question with tho
on the ground that il will bring |
on a fall vote An effort will be made to have
the election of all judges at some
other time than that prescribed for |
the election OF governor and members
OF the legislature The preamble presented
yesterday does not give satisfaction because 1t
contains too much ancient history Tho ju- |
dietary have been asked 10 draft another one
During the consideration Of the report of the
on education aud school lands, an
effort was made TO Incorporate A. O. Mel |
lette's amendment t. require the leg
islature to pass laws regulating school |
text books, to be changed not oftener than fvo
years, and being defeated by close vJtl will |
likely come up again. strong effort was
Also made to amend the minimum price lixed
upon school lands, making il $l5 or sl7 au
acre, but it passed as reported at $40
While the report of tho
the legislative committee WAS under
H. j, CampbeIl of iankton IN
strong language arraigned the acts OF the last
legislature, which he termed damnaDle, and a |
blotch upon the name of Dakoa lie maIn-
tanned that the log rolling 10y the governor was
q dsgraceful abuse OF executive power, and he
hoped the cons tuition would
PROVIDE AaAINTs SUCH ABUSES
in the future. His remarks we're in support OF {
the thirty third section Of the legislative com
mittee's report which read:
Any governor on this State who asks receives |
or agrees to receive any bribel upon any under
standing that his OH cal opinion, Judgment action
shall be irfuencel thereby, or who gives or offers
or promises his official influence in consideration
thar any member of the legislature shali
give his official vote intu- |
ence on any particular side OF
any question or matter upon which lie may be re-
quired to act iD his officia! capacity, or who
menaces anv member by the II lrea,eued use Of his
so ssT ppTs5 "mos, or ,S,t offers promises
ernor, will appoint any particular person
or persons TO any Office created. thereafter to be
created, in consideration that any member shall
give his official vote or infuencs to any matter
pending or thereafter 10 be Introduced Into ether
house OF the said legislature, who threatens any
member that he, the said governor. vii!
offce or position with intent To in any in-
tuence the Official action of the said member, shall
be punished 10 the manner now or that may here
alter be provided by law: and on conviction there
OF shall forfeit all right to hold or exercise any
ofice OF trust or honor IN this state.
. Inc aHaifs Oefore me comm ltee on co pora- |
lions other than banking and municipal have
become 40 complicated and numerous, and 80
MANY ideas are being presented that IL Was
asked that the comm ttes be increased six
members more, all Of hem from the formed
The committee stated that they
were equal TO tho emergency aud The
request Was refused An indignation
meeting Of the delegates aud cit gems is
TO take place at the close of the
work OF the convention, for the purpose OF
passing resolutions condemuatJry of the pres
snt executive, and joining in protest to the
president Of the United States against Iii. re-
appointment Tonight at the parlors OF the ,
Cataract house, the ladies of Sioux Fails ten
iered reception to the delegates aud their
wives. The parlors were decorated with
lowers, And there WAS music aud CAV time.