The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-28
The South Dakota Consultation.

The South Dakota Constitution.
On the second page of the GRAPH
&c will be found a report of the pro-
ceedings of the last few days at Sioux
Falls and q resume Of the salient
points of the constitution which will
give our readers q fair comprehension
of what it contains.
We hear on all sides nothing but
words Of praise for the intelligent
work performed SO conscientiously by
the chosen delegates of the people,
who assembled at Sioux Falls with
no enabling act, and with q sense of
wrong done them by the Federal
Government IN it's refusal to consider
their just demands. They performed
their work well and to the satlsfac-
ton Of all. We might perhaps ex-
cept q few temperance fanatics who
were f,iled in their pet scheme. Leav-
ing out the question of the advisable
ity of enacting prohibitory laws, they
have nc more place in a constitution
than have regulations forbiddlng the
keeping of houses of ill fame or of
any forms of RIGHTEOUSNESS. To have
committed the new constitution to
the folly of prohibition would have
been its death blow. TO have killed
1t before it was born. The temper
ance people should be satisfied with
the compromise measure exacted by
the delegates which allows the first
Legislature, after it has been petition
ed by 5000 legal voters, to submit to
the people for popular vote a prohib-
itory amendment, which, if ratified
by the people, shall become part of
the constitution. A report is current
that the prohibition party will oppose
the constitution because it does not
contain a temperance clause and that
they will put lecturers and canvassers
in the field and do their utmost to
defeat it. Such a course would be
utter ruin for the temperance party
and would destroy their influence in
all Legislation in South Dakota for a
long time to come. Such moves on
the part of the leaders of prohibition
only go to show how utterly unfit
they are to have q voice in the enact
ing of any laws, state or national.
The important question of the cleo
ton of state officers was settled in a
perfect manner. The constitution
says: "Nothing in this constitution
or schedule contained shall be 10 con.
strued as to authorize any officer
elected under. the provisions of this
constitution to undertake the exercise
or discharge of his official duties or
be entitled to any pay or by virtue of
such office until this constitution shall
take effect by the admission of The
state into the Union" Congress can
now have no pretext that South Da.
kota has, in Its desire for statehood.
assumed a revolutionary character
and refuse to listen to u claims.
There has been 3 great deal writ
ten pro and con upon the question Of
the lame of the new state, and the
name Dakota, in the preamble, has
called forth numerous criticisms from
the press. We do not see how the
action of the convention on this point
a be criticised. 1t is merely
question whether we shall assume the
name of Dakota or leave it to North
Dakota to take when that part of the
Territory becomes a State. For, had
the convention at Sioux Falls decided
to petition congress to admit us un-
der the name of South Dakota it
would have given North Dakota the
right to admission into the Union as
Dakota. As an example Virginia
and West Virginia. Again, despite
the fact that a convention was held
at Fargo for the purpose of electing
delegates to confer with the delegates
at Sioux Falls upon the question of
name, no delegation was sent and no
forma! protest has been made on the
part of North Dakota. OF curse .
just view of the case leads us to he,
lieve that the Territory should, when
admitted, be divided and known as
North and South Dakota, yet under
the existing state of affairs W. do
not e why the delegates at slolx
Falls were net wise in deciding to
seek admission ander The nam of
Dakota.