Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-19
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.
subjects Discussed In the Two Dakotas
and Montana Yesterday.

At Bismarck, North Dakota, yesterday, the
| judiciary committee of the constitutional con-
| vention agreed on dividing the state into six
judicial districts and favors the establishment
| OF an appellate court, the judges of which shall
be elected, and which shall be separate and dis
tinct from the regular district court. The ques-
ton of taxation still holds the fort. A propo-
sition was submitted yesterday by Bartlett of
Griggs taxing by uniform rule all moneys and
investments in bonds, stocks, joint stock COM
panies, or otherwise, and personal property,
according to its true values in money, but i'm
provements and cultivation Of the soil shall
not be considered in arriving at the cash value
of lands, but all lands of the same quality and
kind shall bear equal taxation. Scott of Barnes
strikes at the secret sessions of the Senate by
proposing that in acting on executive nominal
lions the senate shall sit with open DOORS and
in confirming or rejecting the nominations of
the governor the vote shall be taken by yeas
and nays. Parsons Of Morton proposed to
abolish the labor black list, providing that any
citizen Of the state shall be free to obtain en-
ployment wherever possible. ANY person or
corporation keeping black list interfering
with this right shall be deemed guilty Of con-
spiracy against the welfare of the state and be
punishable for felony.
Articles were introduced as follows: Pro-
hibiting the forming of trusts or combines to
control the price Of any product, and provid-
ing for the forfeiture of charters and franchises
of companies violating the provision; also pro-
viding that no act of the legislature shall take
effect until the first day of July next after its
passage. Establishing boards Of arbitration to
decide differences between corporations and
employees.
SOUTH DAKOTA
At the Sioux Falls, South Oak, convention
yesterday the forenoon was consumed by the
Judiciary committee in an effort to arrive at an
understanding concerning the arrangement of
the judicial districts. 1t seemed to be the pur-
pose of the majority of the committee to make
the districts as compact in form as possible. A
part OF the committee endeavored to postpone
all action on the subject of districting until
next week, but the matter was pushed to a
vote, and a resolution was adopted providing
for eight judicial districts.
MONTANA MEN GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
The convention at Helena, Mont, yesterday
got down to business and the work commenced
In earnest. Richards, chairman of the commit
tee on education, reported on article of the
constitution of 1884 providing for the mainten-
ance of a general system of public schools free
for all children from six to twenty years. The
governor, the superintendent of public instruc-
ton: secretary of state and attorney-general
shall constitute the state board of land COM
missloners. 1t shall be the duty of the legisla-
ture to provide by taxation for sufficient means
in connection with the amouns received from
the general school fund to maintain public free
common schools in each organized district at
least three months each year. General control
and supervision of the state university and
various other state educational institutions is
to be vested in the state board of education, to
consist of eleven members, the governor state
superintendent of public instruction, and attor-
ney general, being members ex officio. The
other members are to be appointed by the gov
ernor.
The convention resolved itself into a COM
mittee of the whole, and the general file was
taken up. A discussion arose over the wording
of the preamble to the constitution. 1t now
reads:
We, the people of Montana, grateful to the
Almighty God for the blessings of liberty, in
order to secure the advantages of state gov
eminent do, in accordance with the provision
of the enabling act of Congress approved the
22d day of February, A. d. 1889, ordain and
establish this constitution.
A long discussion arose over Clark's motion
abollshing the grand jury. Clark wants it rele-
gated as a relic of the dark ages and as being
an aid to peoples personal spite. The matter
was referred back to the committee on Judiciary
without restrictions. The committee of the
whole arose, reported progress and adjourned.