Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-09-30
DAKOTA CONSTITUTIONALC CONVEN-
TION AT SIOUX FALLS.
MONDAY, SEPT. 81

MONDAY, SEPT. 21.
The special committee TO whom was re-
ferred the Campbell resolution on Saturday,
reported as follows and the report was
unanimously adopted.
All political power is inherent in the peo
pie, and all free government is founded Oh
their authority, and it is instituted for their
equal protection and benefit; and they have
the right, by lawful and constitutional
methods, to alter or reform their forms of
government in such manner as they may
think proper; and the State of Dakota is
an inseperable part of the American Union,
and the constitution of the United States is
the supreme law of the land.
A long debate ensued upon the PROPOSE
tion to grant suffrage to women, Judge
Moody favoring such extension. He was
defeated, however, and the section as
adopted grants to women the right to vote
at school elections and to hold all offices
except as otherwise provided for in the
constitution. The report of the committee
on name, boundary and seat of government
was adopted with but few changes. The
7th standard parallel was fixed as the
northern boundary east of the Missouri
river, and the 46th parallel west of that
point; the temporary and permanent seats
of government to be located by a vote of
the people.
The section relative to railroads was so
amended as to prevent the consolidation of
rival railroads, by lease or otherwise; and
section 10, as adopted, gives the legislature
power to prevent discrimination, unjust or
otherwise, in rates of transportation.
TUESDAY SEPT. Is.
At the constitutional convention to-day
annual tax for general expenses, not to ex-
ceed two mills per annum, and the levy to
pay the principal and interest not to exceed
the same sum. The following salaries
were agreed upon:
GOVcT0OT. %, ,OUU
Judges supreme court. 9, 500
Judges circuit court. Observation-Disclosures. 1900
Secretary of state, treasurer and audi
Superintendent public instruction.. 1890
Attorney general. ........:. ........... 900
Lieutenant governor, salary doubles
that of a state senator
Commissioners of school and public
lanOS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l,SUU
The legislature is granted power to in
crease salaries of governor and judges of
supreme court to $1,000 and judges circuit
court to s., 500 after the year 1890.
Qualifications for voters were fixed to re-
side in the United States one year, in the
state six months, in the county thirty days
and in the election precinct where he offers
to vote ten days next preceding any
election.
WEDNESDAY,, SEPT. %.
The chief item of interest to-day was rel
ative to the amount of property person
can hold exempt from legal process. After
several attempts to fix the amount, the fol-
lowing was adopted:
The right of the debtor to enjoy the COM
forts and necessaries of life shall be recog-
nized by wholesome laws, exempting from
forced sale a homestead. the value of which
shall be limited and defined by law, and to
all heads of families a reasonable amount
of property, the kind and value of which to
be fixed by general laws.
The matter for the State Seal was de-
cided upon to be ''Under God the People
Rule" The forty-sixth parallel was fixed
upon as the northern boundary of the
State in place of the Seventh Standard par
allel. The rate of interest on school lands
sold, was fixed at six per cent. instead of
four.
THURSDAY, SEPT. "a.
At the session to day arrangements were
made for printing the constitution and pro-
ceedings of the convention The woman
suffrage claim was stricken out and sec
ton inserted giving the legislature latitude
in the premises, and submitting the ques-
ton to the people. The report of the COM
mittee on schedule as adopted, provides for