Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-10-07

the state. This must be the excuse for
making this article perfectly iron clad
experience being q dear but valuable
teacher. The Judiciary article provides
Tor supreme court OF three
judges, which probably had better
been made five, and circuit courts, with
BIZ circuite, which may be found ample,
especially county courts are established
with full probate Jurisdiction, civil lur-
isdictlon to 81 GOO and criminal JnrisdIc-
tion below the grade of felony. JUS
are confined to their present jurisdiction.
The bill of rights and limitations upon
the departments are comprehensive and
clearly expressed.
Elections and suffrage are carefully
treated 60 as to preserve the purity Of
the ballot and female suffrage is left to
vote of the people on submission by
an act of the first legislature. Educa.
ton is regulated with enlightened poll
cy, guarding the proceeds of school
lands as trust fund, the lands to be
sold by the legislature, one-third within
the hrst i've years and 30 on in this pro.
gression. No lands shall be sold for less
than ten dollars per acre, within the
fifteen years; one-fourth shall be paid in
cash and the remainder on time. 1t
would seem that the squapdering of
either lands or money is effectuslly
guarded against and the investment Of
an undoubied sterling character.
County and municipal organizations
are preserved as nearly like the present
as possible and limitations to the power
OF taxation both local and general are
carefully made SO that economy will be
forced upon the officials. The import
ance of this feature cannot be over esti-
mated, and very properly. Gen. Camp
bell and his colleagues may rest their
| strongest argument for statehood upon
this feature. The limit of the tax rate
for state purposes is two mills, and the
rate ls made uniform upon all persons
and corporations, thus abolish1ng the
corporate income tax, which is fraud
| OF the first magnitude, as now enforced
In this territory. The exemptions are
| discreet and wisely limited. The limi.
tatlon upon the power of municipalities
| to contract debts are in the same spirit
as the limitation Of the power to raise
| revenue. At no time shall the debt ex.
| ceed i've per cent of the assessed valua-
| ton, IN any county, city or other mu-
| niciple division. Wise provisions are
incorporated to secure accounts of ex-
pendltures by public officers; and prop
er conduct of state institutions. The
militia is not overlooked and general
banking law is provided for. The ar.
ticle on corporations contains the same
troublesome and uselessly cautious
clause IN regard to corporations not
getting the benefit of this constitution
unless they become subject to it, as was
incorporated i'll the Pennsyl-
vania articles and is relied
upon by the great Pennsylvania
railroad company to defy the new con
stltutlon and all laws in accordance
Herewith. Perhaps, however, this is
remedied by subsequent clause which
gives the legislature power to alter. re-
wise or annul any charter. The most
salutary provision is that affirming the
absolute control of the legislature over
railways and their rates with provisions
similar to those m the Illinois constitu
ton and the anti-discrimination laws
passed under it. Amendments NAV be
made to the constitution after having
passed the legislature and been ratified
by popular vote. The work done by
the convention, take it altogether, is
such, considering the time and circum-
stances, that if it shall be accepted by
the people, and great state be formed
in consequence, should render its franz
ers illustrious.