New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-08-07
SOU TIL DAKOTA.
Its Constitutional Convention Still
Struggling over the Document
that will Govern the State.

4
vention long but interesting debate oc-
CURED over the report of the judiciary COM
mittee on the apportionmento of judicial dis
tricts. The majority report made districts
compact and recognized the railway connec-
ton OF. various counties in the respective dis
tricts. The Fifth district, however, caused
trouble. This was composed ofthe populous
counties of Beadle, Sphinx, Brown and Mar
shall. Huron, Redfeld and Aberdeen are
leading cities of the three first mentioned
counties and, as these towns each have
candidate for circuit Judge, Huron and Aber-
deem objected to this grouping. Redfeld,
situated between the two, did not care, hold
ing as was believed, the key to the situa lion.
DR.. Spooner of Kingsbury made the minority
report and moved it's acceptance Itapproved
the majority report except as to the Third
Fifth and Sixth districts, for which the fol
lowing substitute was offered:
Third district-CouDt of Brookings,
Duell, Hamlin, Cadington, Clark, Sphinx,
Grant and Roberts, and all that part of the
Wahpeton and Sisseton Indian reservation,
except that portion lying in Marshall county.
Fifth district Counties Of Kingsbury, Beadle,
and Stanley. Sixth district Counties otDay,
Marshall, Brown, MCPHERSON, Edmunds,
Walworth, Campbell, and all the territory
within said state not included in any other
judicial district.
ABOUT THE DIVISION OF THE ASSETS.
The members of the South Dakota conyen-
lion are surprised at the assurance OF the
North Dakota branch Of the joint commits
sion in regard to the division of the terrific
rial assets and liabilities. They claim that
South Dakota should pay $50, 1000 for one
half of the excess of all past expenditures for
the public institutions in South Dakota.
The institutions having been for the benefit
of the whole territory, nothing should be
considered beyond the provision for paying
the bonds issued for their construction, and
each section should redeem the bonds for its
own public buildings.
CONSIDERING THE AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM,
A long debate came up on the question Of
modification of the Australian ballot sys-
TEN. 1t was offered as an amendment to
the report of the committee on schedule and
ordinance. The opponents of the measure
held that the provision was in the nature
of legislation. 1t sets aside the election
laws of the territory and adopts new ones,
for which the omnibus bill clearly gives no
authority. That all territorial laws are to con-
tinue in force is specifically mentioned in the
bill, and equally is it provided that the con-
stitution of 8S5may not anywhere Exchanged
by this convention, except as provided.
This point was fully discussed during the
deliberations Of the committee, and the
decision was reached that while such a ballot
| system was permissible it was notexpedlent,
and the full committee did not report it.
The Prohibitionists are generally opposed to
the measure, and a strong lobby is at work
against it.
WRESTLING WITH DIFFICULT PROBLEMS.
The whole aim of the South Dakota con-
stitutional cow ention has been to make no
change not specifically authorized by the
omnibus bill But the schedule committee is
wrestling with APPOINT which puzzles it. Da-
kota's general election for county officers
! and delegates in congress occurs during the
even years. Under the Sioux Falls constitu-
ton all state officers and the legislature are
to BIO elected for two years. AS this election
will be in an odd year, as the usual county
officers must be elected the next year.
South Dakota will have an important cleo
ton every year. The committee considers
this undesira ble and is trying to find some
state officers either one year or three years.
but no light dawns on the problem This
shows how great is the annoyance in not be-
ing able to make even the slightest change
in the Sioux Falls constitution. Another in
stance of this developed in considering
the report on education and school lands
The committee saw a chance more strongly
to protect school lands as we'll as to insert q
formal acceptance from the United States of
the gift of land for public buildings The
point was raised that this changed the Sioux
Falls constitution, and the report was
adopted with old section restored unchanged.
Almost without exception the delegates,
who are all level-headed and conservative
men, regret their inability to make num-
Der OF slight changes, as touch here and
there would be greatly beneficial.