Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-18

not a right to construct the engineer
and place him in. charge of the engine,
ready. when congress shall have an.
piled the torch, to start the machinery:
Ii we hope to escape criticism we are
moving ON false premises. We have
the right to do So. and we should assert
it by electing officers, ready when we
are given statehood, to take ilnmedi-
ate charge of the state. There is no
politics in the move. ! would rather
be represented by democrats through
out than not be represented at all.
Robert Dollard OF BOnHOmme-It
has been said by a delegate that it we
elect officers the ballot-boN will be
stuffed. Now, us a delegate who Was
elected by Just such an election a. will
be held to select officers, he is estopped
from such charges. Oregon gave us a
precedent for proceeding as it is pro-
posed and electing state officers. IT we
have authority, the question is. shall
we proceed? I.came here with no pet
views as to how we should come into
the possession of Il state government.
! came determined. to abide by the
wisdom OF the convention. The
committee have reported in favor OF
state officers being elected now, and
am in favor OF adopting the report of
the committee. We are much in the
position of the children OF Israel who
paused on the banks OF the river in
sight of the promised land. We have
constructed the bridge: now shall we
cross upon it?
G. w. Mcdonald of Jerauld-1t is
useless to elect officers now. No taxes
can be collected and no act performed
by them, and the consequence will be
we will have to have two elections.
Thomas Sterling OF Spink-There are
two grounds we may stand upon
doubtful and safe. II we elect officers
we stand upon doubtful ground. We
cannot afford to adopt doubtful meas-
ures. There should be unanimity. We
have considered what congress would
think OF the election of officers. but we
have not considered what the people Of
south Dakota would think OF it. We
should consider that. We have ig-
nored prohibition petitions, and yet we
propose to submit the election OF Off
GERS, when the prohibitionists are
against it. ! beg of the convention to
think before incorporating Il feature
obnoxious to the masses.
At 1920, the convention adjourned to
, p. NJ.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the convention reassembled ut
2 p. NJ, j. II. Gamble of Yankton arose
to a personal privilege and announced
that he had Il telegram to the effect
that the Judgment in the capital com
mission case,
nl|SvlNE Hill, 4! MISSION
from Office. had been filed, thus declar.
ing the capital commission unconstitu.
tional and void.
The announcement was received with
the widest enthusiasm. and delegates
clapped their hands. yelled and threw
their hats into the air.
w. w. B%rookings OF Minnehah;
moved three cheers for Chief Justic.
Edgerton, who, he said, could not bt
corrupted. Three cheers and a tigel
were given with a vim that was deaf
ening.
STATE ELECTION AGAIN.
MIR. Gamble, in resuming discussion
of the question pending-whether O
not state officers should he elected-sait
the issue was not Il party issue, and il
electing state officers there should
be Il division of the offices between tn,
democrats and republicans, and an
aoanced that he would offer an amend
ment later to that effect. He moved t,
postpone the question until Monday
morning.
w. w. Brookings Of Minnehaha sal,
that since hearing of the overthrow o
one Of the most corrupt monopolie
that ever existed he could afford to re
main out OF statehood a year longe
than he felt he could before, but h
hoped it would be decided to elect Off
GERS, us it would surely do good, an,
could possibly do no harm.
lI.J. Campbell OF Yankton cited
number OF states that had proceeded t,
statehood by first electing state officers
as proposed in the section under dis
c%lssion, and moved to lay on the tabl,
the motion of Mr.. Gamble to postpone
The motion of Mr.. Gamble WA
tabled.
\. b. Melville of Beadle-No man i
more anxious than | to proceed Will
discretion in this matter. am in fla
vor OF adopting Il constitution an,
then carrying out it's provisions b,
electing officers. We are here to asser
the right OF self-government. and if W,
are qualified to adopt IL constitution W,
are competent to elect officers and car
ry out the constitution. 1t is our duty
and the ma who shirks that duty i
not an honorable man. Drop part,
matters. selfish ideas. and then You
work will amount to something. lie
us elect officers, officers not party meI
but true Dakotaians.
&. G. Moody Of Lawrence oppose,
the question and spoke against tn
citations OF the p%rec"lents of othe
states as quoted by Mr.. Campbell. II
pronounced elections of the kind Pre-
posed mere shams. He avOwed hi
fidelity to all the proceedings of tn
convention, but admOnished the dele
gates to remember they were only
small portion OF the people Of soutl
Dakota.
On motion OF Joseph Ward of Yank
ton Il recess lat PAS p. NJ OF ten min
utes was taken.
After recess \. Boynton from Lin
coin spoke OF the question from a dem
ocratic standpoint. He said he wa
the oldest member Of the dem
ocratic territorial central committee
he had been accused by members of tn,
committee as being made IL republican
tool Inv WORKING fO OCT a ranuh1;oo,