Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1889-03-23
Constitutional Convention.

bus bill which have bsen discussed and
the correct Interpretation have been In
dispute. In consequence Of this the
Argus has thought best to write to the
chairman Of the committee on territories
Of the senate and Of the house TO sascsr-
tain what were the Intentions OF the
authors Of tho measure. For the edln-
cation Of the Argus readers the. follow
ing correspondence is published, the
first il from Senator Plat. of Connecti.
cut, chairman Of the senate committee
ON territories. He stated that the system
adopted 10 the one In force in Illinois
for the election Of members Of the le9is-
latnrs. It Is believed that this IL in
error ~ the Illinois system Is the oumu.
lative one, which allows voter to cast
moro than one ballot for candidate
whore thsre is more than one to be
elected. It will also be noticed that
Senator Plat wasquits urgent that the
apportioument should be made under
Republican officials 20 fAr, - possible.
- ~ bslievsd that ''the president
ought Immediately TO- appoint the gov.
srnor aud secretaries Of these four tsrri-
tories" Senator Platt's letter entire 10
(as follows:
9ENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
WAsHINoToN, D. G. March Z, 1850.
70 he Editor osthe Argus:
Ihave your favor Of February 2s. The
system Of apportionment for the dele.
gate convention in South Dakota, North
Dakota, Montana and Warrington wss
the invention Of Mr.. Springer. intended
to secure minority representation In the
|convsnttons. Each proposed state must
b DIVIDED into twenty-five districts, and
each district sends three delegates. I
suppose that q voter can cast only one
vote for particular candidate or dele
gate. 1t is, I am told. the system which
is in force in Illinois for the election of
msmbsrs Of the legislature;and probably
correspondence with persons familiar
with the system in Illinois could On"
tighten you moro than can.
Ne senate confsrees resisted this
proposition until it became evident that
further resistance meant the loss Of any
bill, when we had to give up. We hope
| that the apportionment will be made
under Republican officials, and we feel
that the president ought Immediately In
these four territories to appoint the gov
ernor aud secretary at least. The proc.
lamation for the convention IS not to be
issued till the fifteenth OF April. think
that section provides that in case any
OF the conventions provided for should
submit constitution which the people
rejected, new convention can be called
by the governor to form another con.
stitution and submit 1t to tho people.
Isend youa copy Of the bill as i,
passed both houses. 1t WAS with great
effort that we got as good bill as We
did; and We had to give up many thing,
which felt were important, but the
great object was to get such legislation
as would Insure tho admission of foul
states between now and next Decsm bsr
and think this act will do it. Yours
truly. A. III. PLATr.
The letter from Chairman Springer ol
the house committee on territories, who
was the father Of the omnibus bill. il
quito extended. and very carefully
covers the points upon which informa.
tion was asked. Mr.. Springer interprets
the proviso attached to section Z as nj.
lowing Dakota. should both sections re-
jsct the constitution submitted to them
In October, to haye othor constitutional
conventions called by the governor.
The first part Of section z states that il
tho constitutions framed for. North Da'
kota and South Dakota shall be rejected
by the people at the election for thu
ratification or rejectment Of their re-.
spectiye constitutions as provided 70,
In this act, the territorial government
shall continue in existence the same xs
II this act had not been passed. It ii
probably the intention Of the committed
to have tho proviso attached to the lattsl
part Of the section rsfor to this condition
Of affairs, a. we'll a. IL either section hae
rejected the constitution. This 10 mad,
clear bY the statement OF Mr.. Springer
that his object in framing the provise
was ITO secure statehood to all tho pro
posed states without the nscessity Of any
further action whatever on tho part o
oongrsss. and to lsavs the people free II
adopting or rejecting the constitution
casting thelr votes upon the merits 0
the instrument" Mr.. Springer's lstts
Is ono very carefully framed aud vii
throw much light upon the subject II
which 20 much interest 10 taken ut pres
ent In al the territories soon to becom,
states. Tho letter il appended:
House OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
WAsHINGToN, d. G. March 9.
fonr letter Of the twsnty-eighth las
month was duly received. You ask TO
Information in regard to the bill for th
YadmiSsion of North and aonth Dakota