Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1883-03-09
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
Territorial Legislature.

1oEEACOr1ul AeRA6AaLufo.
YANKToN, March 2-Thc long looked
for capital removal bill was introduced
in the house to day. The measure tina
hears on its face the iniqulty within II
provides for the appointment of com
mittee Of nine by the governor and legis
lativc council and these nine are giver
absolute power to locate Dakota's capita
and construct buildings. The people
have no voice in the matter, the whole
decision being delegated to the commits
sion. 1t IS believed che governor and com.
MISSION were named by the csyndicatewhlcl
has been here several weeks working the
scheme. The place where the capital Il
to he located ny the commission is no,
limited in the bill. but there is no lack OF
reasons for the assertion that not only the
commission but site was decided upon Ill
advance. The bill was referred in the
house to a special committee of seven by
Speaker Williams, and every member OF
the committee Is known 10 he solid for
the bill. 1t will of course bc favorably
reported and will probably pass the house
Tomorrow. It yet lacks one vote of
passing the council, but the barrel is still
wide open. Under thc organic act of the
territory the capital cannot be located
except by the legislature and governor,
but along with this bill is a twin measure
to create the office of attorney general,
that officer to be appointed by the COVER
nor. Ii this appointment is made the
attorney general will be only a person
who can take a case into court and con-
test The validity of the commissioners
action. The theory is that man will be
appointed attorney general who
Will neglect his duty. II one bill becomes
a law the other will as combination be
made on both if on one.
The bill changing Mandan county to
Butte passed the both houses.
The bill to create The county OF Hale
was defeated.
The following bills have passed both
houses: To incorporate the city of Cham
berlaln; to incorporate the city of Cassel-
ton; to locate Il reform school at Plankin-
ton; to authorize the treasurer of Yank-
ton county to remit tax in certain Cases;
to appropriate funds for maintenance of
the university of North Dakota at Grand
Forks; to amend charter Of the village Of
Dell Rapids; memorial to congress ask
ing for repeal OF the duty on nails, lum-
Der and barbed wire; to define the boun-
daries of Butte county; to authorize the
village of Egan to issue oonds; to define
the boundaries of Douglas county; to
allow damages for failure to deliver mes
sages; to legallze the incorporation of
Glendale and Wahpeton; railroad CON-
mittec to authorize interpretations to
amend their articles of incorporation; the
bill to appropriate $4,000 for constructing
and furnishing normal school at Spear
Fish was introduced this morning under
suspension of the rules, had its several
readings and was passed.
YANKToN, March 3-Thls has been the
most exciting day in the history of the
Dakota legislature. The capital commits
sion bill came up iu the house and under
suspension of rules brought about by the
unparliamentary ruling of the speaker it
was passed. Its passage amendments
were offered as follows:
BY Rice, making capital grounds 64O
acres instead Of 20.
BY Nowlln, providing for election of
commissioners to be apportioned equally
among three judicial districts.
BY lnman. that bill he amended by
strlck,ng out 20 acres and inserting 80
acres. He explained motion by stating
that it was for an increase of amount of
land for capital. purposes which would be
right and just in as much as land was
cheaper here than IN the east and 20 acres
was manifestly not enough. All these
amendments were killed. The passage of
the bill was contested by the minority of
eight led by Inman and Rice who fought
against the measure step by step in the
face of fifteen voters and the hostile
speaker. In the carly stage Of proceed
lngs the bill was placed IN position where
it would have gone over until Monday
under impartial ruling Select committee
to whom it was referred reported it to the
house in its regular order of amendments
Under the rules measure thus reported
goes to the committee of the whole fol
consideration of amendments Discover.
ing his the committee asked leave tC
withdraw report and this was carried
through by force of circumstances and
the speaker gave it. The committee then
asked leave TO report bill out of its reg.
ular order. Such request can only be
granted under all precedents and house
unless by two-thirds vote but Speaker
Williams ruled that a majority vote coulG
suspend the rules and they were accord
ingly suspended by a majority vote. HI
has ruled so many times that the rule:
can only be suspended by two third.
vote, that his action in this instance yer,
justly places him in the attitude of on,
who shapes his rulings to meet his owl
desires.
The amendments proposed are ins
ones, especially those to give more land
for building purposes. The scheme o
the syndicate, however. is to own all tn
land around the proposed capital build
ings, and the smaller the territorial pos
sessions the larger are theirs. This is
money Geal and nothing else, and shoul,
Q the bill hecnme q law the cnmmiSsio,