The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-21

making women eligible to hold any Office per-
tanning to the management of schools, were
stricken out. A motion to strike the word
"mals" in the first section received three
affirmative votes, showing conciusively the
strength Of woman suffragists in the conven-
ton.
The article on military affairs was adopted
without material amendment. An effort was
made TO take up for adoption the report on cd
~ucation, but it was ordered printed first. There
il little now matter in tho report. The feature
covering the disposition of school lands ls
interesting if not new, because it affects large
bodies of land in the proposed State.
No school land eau be sold for less than $40 un
acre and that sold within ten years shall not exceed
oue-third Of all land set apart for the use Of
SCHOOLS, anu no scnool oIncers snail DC allowed TO pe
interested IN The sale, rental or other disposition of
public school lands.
TO THE CONSTITUTION.
The following is the preamble to the consti-
tuition as reported from the committee:
We. the people of tho Territory of Dakota, hay-
Ing the right OF admission into the Union as one OF
the United States of America by virtue of the or
dinance of 1887 and the treaty made by France to
the United States of the Province of Louisiana. and
by virtue of the guarantees of the constitution of
the United States. 'all necessary conditions
of the said compacts and treaties OF session
HAVING haan fnlfileh on tha MOTT III
the people OF Dakota Territory. and we of right
being entitled to a change from our T e%rritoria!
condition to the enjoyment of all the rights of
State government as a free and independent State
OF the union, do now. in convention assembled, in
order to establish justice, promote the welfare and
secure the blessings of liberty TO ourselves and ia
our postetity, ordain and establish the following
constitution, aud form ourselves into a free and in
dependent State, by the name of the State OF Da-
kota.
There was considerable enthusiasm among
the delegates when the preamble was read,
II looked and read like the beginning of the
end, and it was moved to suspend the rules
and put it upon its passage. but the president
ruled the motion out of order, and it must frs,
BIO printed. Delegate Westover, of Sully and
Potter counties, arraigned Gov. Ordway by in.
Producing o series of preamblcs concluding
with n resolution, the whole setting forth that;
There are a number of unorganiZed counties
lying within the boundaries of the proposed State
OF Dakota. containing more than the Requirement,
number OF resident voters to entitle them to county
organization under the territorial laws, and some
Of them a greater population than counties which
have been organized by the favo. of the terrific.
rial executive that the qualified voters of sucl
unorganiZed counties have petitioned in vain soI
such an organization, and are, by reason of such
want of organization. practically distranchised. and
the inhabitants are unjustly deprived OF the many
advantages derived from such organization and tc
recognition as such in the proposed State of Dako.
Ia at the first election of State or county officers OF
Hyde. Gerauld, Buffalo, Potter, Faux and Canp.
bell %countios, with the territory lyins
forty-siSth meridian. and the county Of Mcpherson
with the territory lying between the north line and
the forty-siSih parallel meridian, it is asked that they
be authorized to participate in the election of State
officers, and to proceed to the election of county
officers in every respect as such elections may BE-
held in other counties in the Stale. aud that sucl
counties may DO considered organized as fully auG
completely as though by favor of the Territorial
executive.
Another resolution was referred to the com.
mittee on corporations other than banking and
municipal, requesting that committee to take
into consideration the expediency of providing
that the legislature shall pass laws establish
ing reasonable maximum rates of charges
for tho transportation of passengers and
freight on the railways and for the election OF
three railway commissioners to see that the
railroad laws were complied with. AT several
stages O! The session OF two and a half hour
the subject of prohibition came up in differen,
forms. There seems to be a determination,
much against the wishes of a majority
of the convention, to bring the sub.
ject OF prohibition before the voters
at the same time the constitution is taken tc
the polls for ratification. The longer an(
cooler heads seem to think it not wise, if the
question must DO urged tho people at the
Same time as tho constitution, to have
it connected by codicil or any
sther farm with the constitution. The subject
81 taxation of railroad property upon the
gross earnings or cost value is becoming more
aud more complicated. It is likely to end as
The more z5alous friends of statehood favor in
leaving it to future legislative laws
whore it rishtfully belongs. Hon r. L.
Pettigrew, of the committee on legislation, says
the committee will report q section making it q
crime, with impeachment as punishment, for
any State senator or representative to trade
votes on measures or a governor to use his
veto or other influence or any State officer to
Weld offician power in favor of or against any
pending measure in the Legislature.
SIOUX FALLS, Sept. lit is estimated tha'
the work of the constitutional convention couli
well be pronounced finished by Saturday mex
if such labor rs was performed today wert
kept up. About half of the committees have
reported, and those that have not submitted
reports have them nearly ready to place before
the convention. Tomorrow the scope Of wnrl
will be in tho hands of tho committed
of the whole. The strictest rules of economy
are observed in the matter presented. Wink
considerable specific Legislation 10 referred IL
iIt loSiSlattfe FtiS nltI U / IL Stcs tIttc
''Cooperrd," that is referred, with instructions
to the Legislature as to how far itmay so. There
is q general desire to SO frame the constitution
that the State cannot become involved in debt
The report of the on COUNTY, State
and municipal Indebtedness contained a sec.
ton which provides that
The State shall not loan its credit or make dona.
tions, except in 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, nor engage il
any work OF internal improvement. Another sec,
ton provides for defrayinr extraordinary expenses
making public improvements, etc. but stipnlates
that the aggregate amount shall not exceed $500
OOG.
These are but sample instances of the safe
guards that are thrown around the powers
usually granted legislatures by constitutions.
The trainers Of this constitution are bent or
making n basis Of State government for future
generations, as well as one on which they
may be admitted to Statehood. Two other
sections bear upon the powers Of counties.
cities and towns to
INCUR INDEBTEDNESS.
They cannot incur an excess of . per cent of
assessed valuation and interest must not accu-
mulate. A section on public accounts and ex-
penditures provides that the legislature cannot
grant extra compensation TO any public officer,
nor authorize the payment Of any extra claim
after contract has been made. A wide scope
OF freedom is presented in the lengthy bill of
rights. Among the clauses embraced in it are
Liberty of the press, free religion, trial by jury.
etc. Persons before conviction are made bailable. OK
cent In capital ofenses; writs of habeas corpus not
to be suspended; the grand Jury to consist OF
twelve persons. any nine OF whom may find an in
dictinent: but the legislature may abolish the grand
Jury system. No "ex-post facto" law can be passed
by the legislature. No distinction shall be made be-
tween resident aliens and citizens in reference to the
enjoyment or descent of their property. No per-
son can he imprisoned for debt. The military shall
be in strict subordination to the civil power. Writs
Of error are never to be prohibited by law. No tax
is to be imposed without the. consent of the people
yesterday, IN adopting tho report from ihe
committee on elections aud right of suffrage.
the section giving woman the ballot at school
elections and making her eligible to hold
school offices, was stricken out. II camo bach
to-day from the committee. couched III differ.
entlanguage, butimplyiug the same privileges
Two reports were submitted from the commit.
tee on rights of married women. and it is moi
improbable that considerable debate will be