Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-09-30
The STATE.

HE SlAIE.
An Address to the People
OF South Dakota.
The Constitutional Committee
Furnishes Valuable Sugges-
tions for Public Perusal.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF
DAKOTA.
Hall of the constitutional convention
of Dakota--Sloux Fslie, d. T., Septem-
ber 25tb, 1885: We, the undersigned,
we're appointed by the constitutional
convention, to issue an address to the
people of Dakota, to accompany the
constitution prepared by that conven.
tioD, setting forth to you in brief man.
ner the reasons which, IN their judgment,
should commend this instrument to
yonr hearty support; and the way ID
which its adoption wonld advance your
interests, and secure speedy admission
of thus state into the union.
Your representatives in that conven-
ton, have spent hut fifteen days. of the
thirty days allotted to them, and but 8
little over half Of the appropriation set
apart for them by the Legislature, in pre-
pairing the constitution which we sub
NIT to you for your adoption or rejec-
tiop.
In order to accomplish this work in
this short time, and to effect this saving
l<,ff ft,ar t.L~
night and day, working from early morn
ing until late at night.
The delegates to that convention were
composed in large degree of the farming
and industrial element of the people,
while the mercantile and professional
classes were also represented by many of
their sblest and most respected mem
bers.
| Your delegates have had the advan-
tage of having before them in their for.
nation of this constitution, the constl.
tutions of all the states of the union.
Among these, especially do we call
your attention to the last reform con-
stitutions of Pennsylvania and Illinois,
in which are to be found the latest, best,
and most stringent guards, against the
abuses of the power of corporations
special legielation. bribery and corrnp.
ton, excessive taxation, and the extrav.
agant incurring of municipal, county
and state Indebtedness, and the mos
careful and guarded protection of tn.
school funds and interests of the people
With the aid OF these former constr
tutions, and especially of the two las
named, the convention has been able, We
think, to combine in the constitution We
present to YOU, all the best provisions o,
these constitutions, together with suct
others as we could frame ourselves, upol
the subjects above referred to.
GUARDS OF THE CONSTITUTION AGAINST
SPECIAL LEGISLATION, POWER OF COR
PoKATIoNs, ExTRAvAGANCEs, EXCESSIVE
TAXATION. AND OTHER SUBJECTS.
We cali your attention especially te
the provisions of this constitution il
Article ., sections 4, .. 70, 26 and ~.
:. .n :,, o.r .oui ooneli'u.iun ~
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~ AZ 'hbeoy h .e...; pes., a' iai ,s. as can ~ "
h;n@ Er;hern s'.on, anJ oor,nus;au ,u uihIe' !uI
os, - y a.no,aa an 81 s in;u1 ~ W. -.
hr;hed ond danoasona M to s,a.Ur ann o"ao " ~ ~
] ]b.;le h'n. Hno dangerous 'o' any pef'on u
r, ~, III - .ko o.,;t., ,o.; 49,
o.har ,;La naaesnrea ] nt n, on1nsasI ,,n;.'. ane
wh,oh ne t,v. S,snraoaS 80 'C.sn ;,s;na o,ioI ~,
to-r;to,,. ;n,ress;tJ, nnd.. ~ stota
IN th;s s.noa onnnaot;on % va os1 sa'e, Hae,
at.a..;a ~ ,oo.;aa Ii ..;.i yGu' ~.
"a.a - 49, ~ hr;La. s ~ w
" W. ' u 'no eo'ono'
:, APPROPRIATIONS.
we call your especial attention to the
provisions upon appropriations con
talnea IN section ~ OF article T. and Sec
tlon OF articie IL by THESE PROVISIONS
we tninK the constitution VIII e1ectual
prevent such dlsgracefui appropla-
tions as naVe cnaracterlzeo many OF
your legislatures. by the ]oboery' al
ways ineloent 10 20 a. general appropria
tion OH, over @oo'Voo we're expended bJ
the last legislature against the protests
OF It's oes' anu aoiest members.
TAXATION.
We also call especial attention to th,
limit placed by the constitution upor
taxation, That limit for the state is two
mills on dollar of the assessed yalua
ton of all taxable property in the state
as ascertained by the latest assessment
made for state and coun1v pnrnoses.
The maximum tax provided for bv Won,
last territorial legislature. is three mills
!, on dollar, larger than the taxation O
twelve states in the union; and the pros
pect is that in every successive territor;
al legislature, especially if it shall con
tinue 70 meet IN north Dakota, unde!
cornorat;ons of that sac,ion tho &c
> of your taxation. and the amonnt Of an
mai exoenditnres will ;ncresse IN ' %,
almost eeometrical ratio. nnt,I the bnr
l