Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-12-14

head of other live stock, including cattle,
swine, etc., in this division of the territory.
North Dakota has eightysix banks,
twenty-five of them national, and with an
aggregate capital Of nearly $2,OOOOOo. 1t
has 1875 newspapers, eight or nine of them
school houses, almost as many as the entire
territory had in 1884. 1t has 700 manufac-
turing establishments of various kinds. in
this respect exceeding South Dakota, and
three years ago paid q posta! revenue of
$l505S4.85. 1t has besides, the capital
building at Bismarck, the hospital for the
insane in jamestown, costing about $780,
Bismarck, costing $1OO, 900. the North Da-
kota university at Grand Forks. besides
the Congregational college at Fargo, the
Baptist college at Tower City, and the
Presbyterian college in Jamestown. 1t has
nearly 1900 miles of completed railways,
more than is possessed by half the states
of the union, and nearly $75,Qoo,0 900 of
possible equipment for statehood, therefore,
North Dakota, like South Dakota, is
abundantly supplied. In one respect it
has the advantage of its southern sister.
Nearly one-half the area of Sonth Dakota
is now occupied by Indian reservations,
while North Dakota has comparatively
but small portion of its limits devoted to
this purpose.
Being thus prepared to assume the re-
sponsibilities of a state what steps can we
or shall we take to that end? There is no
set form for the preliminary march to
statehood. What we need, and what is
particularly important, is that We march
hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder,
united for this objective point, as speedily
regard for the rights of all concerned.
Kentucky Was admitted without a consti-
t,ltional convention and under a constitu-
tion which was not even submitted
to vote of the people. Indiana came
in under all enabling act Of congress. Iowa,
Michigan, Florida and Oregon came in
under constitutions which were framed by
of territorial Legislatures. There has been
some doubt regarding the legal power Of a
territorial legislature to authorize. a con-
stitutiOnal convention, but the president
elect in speaking of this matter i'll the SEN
ate few years ago said:
'sBut If it be admitted that such an act had no
legal force whatever, it gave to the people the
machinery necessary for the. expression Of the
popular will in an orderly and effective way. 1t
provided q fair apportionment and threw about
the election of delegates and the proceedings of
the convention the forms II not the sanctions of
law"
For these reasons Senator Harrison COM
mended the action Of our own territorial
legislature in speech in the United States
senate few years ago.
There have been cases where the con-
stitions framed by conventions have never
been laid before congress at all, the pres
ident having been authorized, if he deemed
such constitutions republican in form, to
proclaim the state a member OF the union.
AS have said, no form OF procedure is pre-
scribed either by congress or the constitu-
ton. Twenty five new states have been
added to the union and in ten there were
no enabling acts by congress, while in the
case of two more the instruments framed by
the conventions held under enabling acts
were rejected and the constitutions under
which they were finally admitted were
framed under territorial authority.
These precedents are worthy of examina-
tion and probably imitation. More import
harmony and unity here. The work we
inaugurate is pregnant with momentous
results. We begin under the most au-
spicious circumstances. The way is clear
the path unincumbered with previous fail
ures. With sincere desire for the public
welfare, with charity for all and extending
helping hand and a God-speed to those
who are working in the same direction 1ol
| ACCOSuIGlOIl, 1cL uo ~ OA CAlu COulplCCC Glle
! great work before us.
| The chairman's remarks were received
with enthusiastic applause.
Rea of Burleigh moved the selection OF
four vice-presidents and Col w. c. Plum
mer of Cass. Col. VIM. Thompson of Bur
leigh, Hon. w. n. Roach of Grand Forks
and Judge Levisee of Trail were chosen
the two former being democrats.
On motion of Campbell of Morton, Tuttle
of Morton was chosen secretary. Assistant
secretaries as follows were chosen: A. c
Mcmillan of Stutsman. w. 81. Ellis o.
Dickey and j. B. Power of Richland.
Kennedy of Dickey moved the imme
diate adoption of resolution favoring di
vision on the seventh standard parallel
He wanted the convention to be positive OF
this point as his farm was bounded on tht
south by that line, and if the 46th parable
was chosen he would be thrown into Soutl
dakota ond ho 6i6n,t want H. that wav