St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-06

Montana Democrats Give the
Presidency to Butte's Choice.
Special to the GLOBE.
HELENA, Mont, Jnly 5.-The cOnsti-
tutional convention to-day effected a
permanent organization upon the basis
of predictions in these dispatches.
William A. Clarke, of Butte, who pre-
sided over the convention of 1884, was
elected permanent president. the vote
standing 80 for Clarke, 81 for Hershfeld,
l for MaginniS and for Eaton. Breen,
who has been counted as an independ-
ent labor representative. voted with the
Democrats throughout the days pro-
ceedings. Field is still absent on ac-
count of his broken arm. With Breen
and Field the Democrats will have forty
votes in the convention and the Repub-
licans thirty-fve. HarshfeId, who was
chairman of the Republican territorial
committee in the cam paign last fall, was
given the compliment of the Republican
nomination for president. The tempo
rary chief clerk, sergeant-at-armS and
stenographer chosen yesterday were
made permanent by vote of the cOnven-
ton to-day. Territorial Secretary Wal
ker, Republican, some time ago pro-
ChICA q ny NODlt lIidb
the convention would be limited in the
employment of clerks to the number
provided heretofore for one house of the
territorial legislature. This action is
supposed to be for the purpose of limit
ing, as much as possible, the patronage
of the convention controlled by the DEM
Ocrats. A resolution was adopted to-
day providing in effect that the chief
clerk be authorized, under certain linz
itations, to employ the necessary cleri-
cal assistance, and that the first state
legislature be asked to provide for COM
pensation of such as were not paid out
of the sum appropriated by congress for
the expenses of the convention.
The questions which will come be-
fore the convention which have caused
the most discussion are the disposition
of the school lands, the taxation of
mines, the grand and petit jury systems
and the salaries of state officers. On
the school land question no settled
policy has been outlined, save only that
the universal desire is to so frame the
new constitution in that respect that
these lands may insure to the best
advantage of the schools in the future.
On the question of the taxation of
mines there will probably be the most
discussion. a provision to that end hav-
ing been defeated in the convention of
1884 after hard struggle. The agri-
culturists and Stockmen naturally
want the miners to pay their proportion
of taxation, and many owners of mines
are willing to be taxed on their gross
output. This seems more equitable
than to tax ali mining property, regard
less of whether the mine is a paying
one or not. If public sentiment may be
judged from the newspapers, the ma
jority of the people favor the abolition
of the grand jury system Gas it at
present holds in most of the states),
such body only to sit on extraordinary
occasions, at special call of authorized
officers. As to petit juries, the desire
seems to be to have the majority or
tWo-third rule obtain, especially in civil
cases. 1t is thought the salaries of
state officers will be placed at low
figure, with a provision allowing an in
crease by the legislature.