The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-10-09
APPEAL TO DAKOTIANs.
Address to the People Of the Territory
by q Committee of the Late Con-
stitutiOnal Convention.
The Beneficent Provisions Of the New
Constitution Pointed Out and the
People Urged to Adopt 1t.

The Benefcent Provisions Of the New
Constitution Pointed Out and the
People Urged to Adopt It.
ADDRESS 10 THE PEOPLE OF TIE TERRITORY
SIOUX FALLS, Special, Sept 2S.-The com.
mittee appointed by the constitutional con.
vention to prepare an address TO the people
has been ut work constantly since the ad-
lonrnment. and have just completed the
work in the following ducument, dated Sioux
Falls. sept %. After mentioning the fact
that the convention consumed only hulf OF
the thirty days allowed by the law for its
labors, and had worked night aud day In
order that the expenses might be as light as
possible. 1t calls attention to article 3, Sec
hons 4. 8, %, 20 and 70, saying:
by there sections your constitution. II adopted
special iaws. and will thereby prevent, as far "a
can be done by constitution, log rolling, Job
Iinv, bribery and corruption. 1t will make 1t
Rerous Tor any person to bribe him. 1t will
make capital commissions. and other like meas
ures Of colossal bribery, which have disRraced
state. In this same connection we ask your at
tenti0n to section IL Of article 4, with regard t0
the bribery OF the governor. By the provisions
will effectually prevent such disgracefui appro-
priattons rs have characterized many Of your
legislatures. by the jobbery always incident tu
o
the protests Of it's best and abiest members
% we also cal! your especial attention to the limit
placed place. by the constftntton upon taxation, two
vidcd for by your last territorial legislature is
three mills on y dollar. laroer than the taxation
Of twelve states in the Union; ani the prospect
IL that IN every Successive territorial levis-
Iature. especially II 1t shall continue to meet III
North Dakota under the influence Of the immense
railroad corporations Of that section. the rate
expenditures, will increase in an almost geo.
metrtcal ratio. until the burdens Of taxation OF
the people Of this territory will be large,
Union This ono feature answsrs @ s'ee Completely III .
and forever the argument Of the enemies ol
statehood, that 2 state government will cost
IL. that under tho present territorial govern
ment not only do you pay all the expenses,
territorial. county and municipal, which you
w9nla pay y under M state government except the
lators,. but you pay almost twice the sum
annually that yon would pay under tho limita-
sions 81 this constitution There t. absolutely
long rs you remain under the territorial gov
crnment you NAV expect your taxes to increase
and the extravaganza OF your legislatures grow
Kreater.
CORPORATIONS AND RAILROADS..
We say to you that In no state In the union
have more wholesome restrictions been placed
upon abuses under the heads of railroad dis
crimtnatton, etc, than in this constitution. We
say further to you that should tho enemies al
g statehood succeed IN compelling the people OF
ath psko,a Sas to te con consolidated oil in state with
against the influence of tho powerful railroad
corporations which control that section, to
au o s.ltn1n No n
attention especially to the very carefully drawn
and closely guarded provisions on these subjccts.
We know. that to the general popular interests
the subject Of preserving tho school funds, and
e,@ the school @ iands. OF the new state from loss,
the provisions of this constitution, many
Of them original. are the best upon
sns snb'eos contained lined in
W. wen ssass wo 10 say t1o to yo1 GnSn sSat
in oil directions, the sentiment in favor OF the
admission Of this part of Dakota. as o state,
until the demand from tho people If tho United
States that this act Of justice shall be dono is
now almost universal @ Almost all the great
ne%spalers Of the land. East ~ well ~ West.
and even In California. are demanding that con-
grcss shall admit Dakota. We do not believe
that tho party now IN power can afford to an
taRonizo the sentiment Of Justice on the part Of
national administration will have the disposi-
tion ton 80 80 to do. One thing is sure. II the
ut the polls this coming November adopt
this constitution and elect their state govern.
ment. aud elect such men as will represent Their
wishes, and II the people Of the new state after
electing them, with the temper and firmness OF
American citizens stand upon their rights under
the constitution Of the United States, and sup.
port port tn their 81 state gEvernment. the people Of the
United States will respect their attitude and
will join with them In demanding their immcdi.
ate admission. And one Of two results will
surely follow. either the immediate admission oi
the State Of Dakota, by the next congress at iti
first session. or the hurling from power Of thf
congress that thus abuses its power and defies
the public sentiment Of the country. We be.
lieve that your admission into the Union IL !,
matter to be determined by you. by your votet
at this election II full vote is poilod. and
your constitution is adopted. and your STATE
istration will dare to no far defy public oDinior
as to deny you admission.
ORGANIZATION.
Having completed our work and discharged
our duty to the b 1T Of our ability, the rest OF
the work is now committed to you We recon-.
mend that the county boards appointed in th,
various counties, orRanize their townships By
appointing similar boards in them The conyen
ti0n has made arrangements to send to Won,
county boards sufficient supply Of printed con
stiutions In the English, Germun and Scandt
haSi"n languages. bee that these document
are thoroughly circulated The form of the bal
these Zee that It is correctly printed in each of
your counties. and that abundance Of tickets are
furnished to all localities. For any further
the election. any one can apply to the stat. ex-
ecutive commit: ee by addressing its president,
Hugh ). smpbtlI, at Yankton, Oak. A moro
tory Tor You have ta select legislature. your state
your Temporary seat Of govcrnlnent This
vote cast g, 1t THIS election wil probably deter
people, You have now the opportunity to sc-
cure Tor yourselves an economical government,
aud the just control Of corporations. by the peo.
pie. aud separation from the dlsastrou. and
rufnous influences Of o government for the whole
territory. and defeat 0f the iniquitous scheme to
bind South Dakota forever in the chains Of the
her people forever to the burdens of taxation,
which legislature. sitting In North Dakota.
viii impose. aud to the payment Of taxes for the
and corruption, tho capitol building at Bismarck
!, we remind the people here Of tho fact lately
M disclosed In the litigation at Bismarck, Ii
by tIeir attorney general against mons.rous us
scheme t9 swtnafe the people on the part Of tile
l,ts {, capital eaapissioa. appears BY tie facts
9, during this litigation, that over 600
tal oommission. by the late auditor Of the terri
tory. Mr.. Ordway, and that the warrants are now
being presented to the territorial treasurer fol
legislature never voted aud which tho peopis
never consented to. are being sought to be fichcd
rom the public treasury.
RIGHT TO FORM STATE GOVERNMENT.
. The ordinance Of 1887, and tho treaty OF
France. by which the territory Of Louisiana was
'eded to the United States. each contain irrevo.
able guarantees to tho people Of this territory
'f the right to form Q state government for
themselves and to be admitted into the Uuion
as soon as their population and Resources are
'nfiicisnt for self-government The ordinance
u 1857 has been extended by congressional
enactment over Dakota in four successive s"s-
'iona. The rights guaranteed by that or,li-
nance are matters Of compact, which !
:ompact is stipulated in the ordinance
ihe people Of the territory. The ablest lawyers
ind jurist Of the country have united In declar-
ny that the people are parties to those COM
lac.s; and Of right entitled to act upon them
md demand their fuliillment in addition to
hesc conpacts the constitution Of the United
states. as judicially interpreted by the supreme
:onrt; our; which interpIetat'on has never been re-
ias gnarateed to tie people of this ter,ito v. a.
o all territ0res. tho absolute right Of self-gov-
rnment and statehood whenever their con-
iitions as to their population. their area,
md their resources are sufficient to enable
hem to govern themselves These arc cnnufi.