The Dillon tribune., 1884-10-04
THE CONSTITUTION.

pare II with the L OnStttuttOnS Of the thirty.
eight States If the American Union and It
will no, be found unworthy Of a scrutinous
comparison. It is but a few weeks until
the day of election, when the voters Of Mon
.ana, irrespective Of party, will be called
upon to ratify or reject the document.
During the present political fight the ques.
ton Of the adoption or rejection Of the
Constitution has not assumed partisan
form, and both the Republican and Dem.
ocratic parties have acquiesced in the ne.
cessi,y of permitting the people to determ.
inc the question Of ratification or rejection
for themselves. Thus far the Constitution
has not been as thoroughly and exhaust.
lively discussed as its importance demands.
At the ensuing November election the peo.
pie Of Montana will be called upon to vote
on the Constitution and that vote will de-
eide whether Montanians will accept it and
thus be prepared to adopt the mantle OF
| Statehood or reject it and remain in the Ter.
ritorial condition we have been for years in
prior to the date the Constitutional Con-
| vention was called.
Let us review the Constitution as con.
cisely and in,elligently as possible in a
newspaper article. The delegates who
framed the Constitution were chosen from
the body Of the people as representative
men. These delegates devoted their time
and their means, without hope Of pecu.
| mary reward, and at the expense Of what
might be termed empty honor, to frame for
Montana a Constitution that would prove
acceptable to the mass Of the people.
While the instrument may contain, per.
haps, one clause that to some is objection.
| able, let us not on tha, account discard the
entire document as unfit for our purposes
OF as unworthy Of our support.
Under our present Territorial sy stem our
institutions are in crude and unsatistac.
tory shape, and they will remain SO until
we assume the role Of Statehood. Our
school system is poor In the extreme, and
the school system cannot be perfected un
til we as people governing ourselves as.
sumo full control of all our resources, which
cannot be accomplished as long as Mon.
tana remains Territory. The proposed
Constitution provides liberally for ire.
schools, normal schools, colleges and uni
versities.
Our present system Of Territorial taxa.
tis'n is shame upon the Congress Of the
United States, which gave to that gigantic
monopoly, the Northern Pacific Railroa
Company, an immense body Of our most
fertile land, and then exempted that road
from ajust and equitable taxation as long
as Montana was dressed in the swaddling
clothes Of a Territory. This same North.
ern Pacific corporation, if assessed at the
very moderate sum Of $1,000 per mile. and
only taxed at one cent on the dollar, would
yield State revenue Of $4o,ooo-or aImos
enough money to defray the expenses OF
an economical State Government Ar
average rate Of taxation, now PREVAIL. .,
the landed property ot this company Would
produce from S6o.ooo to $4,000 per year
in revenue. This sum can all he collected
under the form OF State government
The Constitution submitted Is most strin-
gent on corporations and monor'lies oi all
kinds, and the interests Of the peop.c o, q
State are we'll guarded in this part,cula,
respect.
Our present Territorial judiciary system
without rejecting upon the men who ar.
our Judges, is poor, shanby and unsat
istactorv =. stem. The Constitution, in thu
opinion OF the ablest law yer> of the Terri
tory, presents to the people OF Montan:
one Of the most p r,ecl systems OF judiciar,
ever prepared or presented in any stat,
Constitution.
The provision regulating and controllin,
the pardoning pnwer is a wise one. Th
powers OF the Executive officers are dis
tinctlv defined. \ Board Of Pardons
created, consisting OF the Governor, Attor
ney General and Secretary of State. Thi
ocard will regulate the pardoning powr
which is taken out OF the hands of a singl
{ individual.
| The restrictions on the power of tn
e Legislature are admirably arranged. Thes
e restrictions prevent the Legislature fro,
voting away the public funds or from lev,
ing excessive taxes upon the people, al
g allows the Governor to veto any item
t bills OF appropriation. These re>trictio,
- will be commended by every inteIige'
>otes in the Territory. In ali cases whe1
'e the vial Interests Of the peor'e are at sta.
lr ample provision is made for the protec,ic
a Of that interest.
al The arrangement for the distribution
the public institutions OF the State and Il
Z. buildings to all parts Of the common wsal