Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-22
MAKING NEW STATES.


South Dakota's Convention Discussing
the Question of Legislative Districts.
A Sioux Falls dispatch to the New York Herald
says: All interest now centers around the work
of the legislative and judicial apportionment,
which is the important work before the con-
vention. The Judiciary committee has fully
agreed upon the report, but will not make it
public till Tuesday. 1t gives two districts to
the Black Hills and six to eastern Dakota.
This is satisfactory as to number, but not en-
tirely so as to districts, and delegations from
different localities are asking for notifications
This is not because the districts are not con-
veniently arranged, but because in the princi-
pal central Dakota districts are included three
towns, each of which has a candidate for cir
cult judge. minority report will be made
and war is looked for. Politics has also crept
into the disturbed work of the legislative ap-
portionment committee. The report which
was agreed upon has gone to pieces. Several
members discovered that three or four counties
had a member or Senator more than they were
entitled to, and investigation shows this was
done in the interest of certain candidates for
the United States Senatorship. After some
warm discussion the report was disagreed to.
Evidently there is fun ahead.
North Dakota for Ballot Reform.
At Bismarck the constitutional convention
adjourned saturday with the transaction of 60
business save the introduction of two articles.
These were: Providing that ali elections shall
be by secret ballot; that ballots shall be pro-
vided by the state and counties respectively: all
electors must be registered ninety days before
the day OF election; also providing that the only
purposes for which funds may be used before
or after elections by any candidate or his agent
shall be renting halls for meetings, postage in
circulating political literature, newspaper ad-
vertising and payment of public speakers and
travelling expenses. The proposition to have
the legislative power vested in a single BODY is
special order for to-day, but owing to the
absence of so many delegates its consideration
will be postponed until Tuesday.
Montana Won't Change Its Name.
In the convention at Helena Saturday, Eaton
of Park county presented communication
from New York, signed Chadwick" requesting
that the new state be called jefferson" The
matter created considerable merriment. The
petitioner felt convinced that if carried out it
would result to the glory of the convention and
secure a democratic majority in the state The
committee on labor reported several resolutions
unfavorably. Mr.. Collins, chairman of the
committee On finance. reported unfavorably
the gambling bill, prohibiting all manner of
games where liquors are sold.
Woman Suffrage in Washington.
The Judiciary system Of the state of Washing
ton is practically established, as the convention
at Olympia on Saturday agreed, in committee
of the whole, to the report of the judiciary
committee amended. The session opened
with an affidavit from the secretary of the wo-
mems suffrage bureau that a petition with
%, 900 signatures had been burned up in the
Seattle fire. -Four or five petitions that had
not been burned up were then handed in and
the convention went into committee of the
whole. The Judiciary article was adopted with
a few minor amendments. The convention will
take up the preamble and bill of rights to-day.