The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-07-26
mittees OF the convention were then announced
by the president. There are % committees. Of
which the Democrats receive the Chairman.

delivered an address In the course Of Whicl
ne emPhatically denounced the frauds ol
the ballot in modern times and urged th
| closest attention to keeping It down Eer
| vote, should be made to suffer the full ex
| tent. He indorsed the secret ballot and tn,
| hearty applause from all the delegates ray,
good indications OF that connection Mr.
Purcell called attention to the reported In
accuracy of the boundary line between Nortl
and south Dakota and moved that the join
commission Of the two sections be authorize,
to effect temporary agreement regarding
that line, which motion was made u speci u
order for tomorrow. Rev. II. c. Wilcy. O,
| the National Reform Association, by request
addressed the convention in favor Of the in
corporation in the bill Of rights of the new
constitution Of q recognition ofthe civil Sab
ofthe universe.
AFTER THE NORTHERN PACIFIC.
On July 12, Mr.. Moore offered the follow.
ing, which was adopted:
Whereas, The rosd bed and rolling stock
OF the Northern Pacific railroad mt present
by virtue of it's charter exempt from taxa,
tion In this territory; and
Whereas. 1t is important and necessary
for this convention to determine whether OF
not said road bed and rolling stock can be
made subject to taxation under the consti.
NUtlVu 6UOuG u NC IOrmeOs una
Whereas, Great differences ofopinion exist
as to the power Of this convention in the
premises; now, therefore, bc 1t
Resolved. That the said matter of the
power Of this convention to provide for the
taxation said property be referred to the
judiciary committee for their opinion there
OH, and that said committee be nnd are here.
by instructed to report thereon within
one week from this date.
SOME OF THE THINGS SUGGESTED.
RIsNARcK, July 14.-Messrs. Pennington,
Rowe, Pollock and Haugen introduced art.
icles providing for constitutional prohibit
tion of the manufacture und salc ofintoxicat.
ing liquors. Mr.. johnson offered u comnuct
with the United States providing for toieru-
tion Of religious beliefs, disclalning all rights
to nnappropriatel public lands within the
limits Of the state. exempting United States
lands from taxution, assuming II due proper.
tion OF the debt and liabilities Of the Terri
tory of Dakota previous to the adoption of
this constitution and ordering the establish.
ment and maintenance Of public, non .sectar.
ian schools. Mr.. johnson also offered n long
article with nineteen sections, relating to
corporations
on article making bismarck the temporary
capital. providing for its permanent location
by vote Of the people. and forbidling any
expenditure for building until tho permaucnt
location has been decided upon.
Mr. Bartlett wished to provide for lesis.
iatTre ol a two houses houses ssnator from earh
$50 members. Mr., Bartlett also offered an
article to consider az fraudulent nll ballots
purporting to be u regular party ticket, hut
having other names printed thereon. lie
further propoe.l to empower the legislature
to provide for the qualifications for office
holders.
Prohibition of the liquor trufElc has numer-
ous adv ,...s, but the majority of tho con
vontion favOrs It's submission ns an
amendment to the vote Of the people such
will be the method Of its disposal. Tho one
Legislative body iden is rapidly losing
strength, and will scarcely have u heuring IN
thought to be in it's favor, and they feel the
weakness Of their number too muci, to make
needless attempts to carry it through. 1t
was their purpose to secure in that way bet-
ter representation for some sparcey settled
districts, and they now hope to secure this
by means OF getting one senator from each
county. As regards the subject Of minority
expecting is that it muy le submitted to q
vote OF the people, but Of evcu this much
they now express little hope.
ONE LEGISLATIVE BODy.
BIsMARcE, July 15.-At to-dny's session
Mr.. Stevens introduced, by request the fol-
lowing;
Resolved, That tho Constitution provide
that the Legislative authority Of this state
shall rest In single body, to le called u
legislative assembly, which shal! consist Of
not le.s than one hundred members, to t'e
elected by the people: provided the lcgsln-
tive assembly may from time to time in
crease the number of members us necessity
may require.
While the introduction of this proposed
article is Il further evidence that, the friends
of one Legislative body are ut work, the nd
vocatcs Of the older and more generally
known scheme of the two houses are not
idle.
Prohibition Of the liquor traffic camo up
aguin, Mr.. Wallnce desiring it incorporated
In the new constitution, while Mr.. Elliott
wished to have it submitted to IL vote Of the
taineti in q resolution submitted by Mr.. Mil
Ter. Looking to the preservation Uf the
credit Of counties aud cities, Mr.. Pennington
introduced the following: mo county, city
or other municipal corporation shall llereai
ter become subscriber to the capital stock
Of any private corporation or association.
or make any appropriation or donation tc
the same, or in any wny ionn its credit. Non.
sectarinn schools are provided for in an
article introduced by Mr. Richardson, who
also presented a preamble recognizing God
the father, aud declaring in favor OF the
civil Sabbath. Suffrage was the subject of
several proposed articles, but none Of them
made amy departures from est ablislsd laws
of the older states. The Australian system
of ballOting cune up and waa Grtlcsctl print-
ed, in order to give members an opportunity
for studying it.
RAILROADS AND SCHOOLS.
BsMAIrK, July 16.-The constitutional
| convention Of North Dakota. which has thus
far been quiet and conservative, is rapidly
reaching the point where tlieclnsll Ofintercsts y
will bring Il he members to an uncOvering Of
their positions. Tho question oi railr0ad
taxation il bound to cut nn important
figure, und Chairman Cotton, Of the COM
mittee on,taxatiOn, to dug sub omitted u prop
nsition which has created much discussion.
He proposes that the governor, the secrptury
Of state und the state auditor shall cOnsti-
tute q board OF asscssOrs whose duty it
shall he to assess each yenr the railroads of
the state, including rond bed, rolling stock
and all buildings used for railrOad PURPOSES
The proposition provides that in no raSo
slnll IL railroad ls assessed for less tlinn
$4,000 nor more than $1,000 Uer mile.
There is a strong sentiment in favor Of this
mode Of taxation, but it is being opposed by
those wlio fuvor the gross earnings system.
viii III has been the law under the territorial
government. and which is satisfactory &c
the railroads. 1t in maintuined l,v some
TINT the placing Of this power Of assess
ment in the hnnlX Of the state would 10 u
dangerous experiment. The convention il
unanimous on ono question, nnl that in tho
protection of the immense grant of lands
for school purposes, but they nre little di-
vided as to the plan.
A.