Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-08-30

TO THE PEOPLE no.

To the People Of Idaho:
The Convention convened at Boise
City on July 4, 1889, TO frame Consti-
pleted its labors.
The Constitution so framed will he
submitted to you for approval or rejec-
ton on November 5, 1899.
/. Before adjournment, the Convention
by resolution appointed the under
signed as committee to lay before you
the reasons why the Constitution
should be adopted, and this duty we
now fulfill.
DISADVANTAGES OF A TERRITORIAL Gov
ERNMENT.
The Territorial system of government
un Ter which we have lived for the past
twenty-sx years is in direct conflict
with the spirit of Republican and
Democratic institutions.
We have no voice in the selection of
the most important officers who admin
lister our local Affairs; no voice in the
enactment of laws by Congress to whit h
we must yield obedience; and no voice
in the election of the Chief Magistrate
of the Republic, who appoints the prin-
cipal officers, by whom the executive
and judicial affairs of our Territory are
administered.
We are held in a state of political
vassaage, similar in many respects to
that in which the American Colonies
were held by Great Britain.
Governments are instituted for the
purpose of securing to all men their
natural and inaienab'e rights to life,
liberty, and the pursuit OF happiness;
and all rightful governments derive
their just powers from the consent of
the governed.
Taxation without representation
among all people who love freedom has
ever been held valid complaint against
the governing power.
While Territory, Congress, in which
we have no vote or other adequate rep
resentation, can at any time annul any
act passed by our Legislature, and I'M
der present law of Congress placing
limitations and restrictions upon the
power of the Territorial Legislature, no
great public work or improvement in
the interest of the people, no matter
how necessary it may be to the devel-
opmcnt of our mineral or agricultural
resources, can be ineugura!ed or carried
out.
Under the Congr ossiouAl Alien Land
Act, no alien can own or hold lands in
the Territory, and this prohibition shuts
the door to the influx aud inves; ment of
millions of foreign capital in our mines
containing precious and useful metals,
thus retarding and almost paraly zing the
development of cur unlimited resources,
and depriving labor of its most encour-
aging and inviting fields OF employ
Our schoo. lands lie unoccupied end
returning no revenue for the education
of our children, and are not open to
purchase by those seeking homes among
us, thus retarding immigration, and that
great increase of population to which |
our natural resources and unexampled |
iiShib III illNs'c va NiihItttt NhAlttC ucs
A Territory can not have settled I
public policy. The fact that Congress
may at any time annul its legislation on
any matter Of purely local concern pre-
vents active cooperation by the peo-
pie on those higher planes Of pablo life
which result in the estab Iishment of
permanent State policy.
The veto power of alien governors
who in the past have been, and who in
the future again may he sent among us,
is one of which we have had more than
one example of sad experience by
which the people have been discour-
aged.
The most intolerable evil, however,
under which we have lived for tie past
twenty-five years, has been the chang
ing and shifting character of our judicial
decisions. by which we have been de-
prived ofihe inestmable | enefit of iu-
licial precedents as safeguard to our
rights of person aud property.
Scarcely has one judge sent to US
rom abroad obtained even slight in-
sight into the laws and customs of the
Territory. before another coming in his
Dom has undone the work of his pre- ;
iecessor, and this chronic condition of
,hange has left all of our business and
property interests in constant state OF
loubt and uncertainty. {
To make confusion worse confounded, .
We have been denied an appeal from {
hese raw aud inexperienced decisions
o au independent Supreme Court, un. a
er the Territorial system of having the .
udge below review bis own judgments /
n appeal, while The small Judicial force a
+ the Territory unable or incompetent /
. perform the duties devolving upon i'll n
anses our calendars to be oYerburdeneI :,
18th causes, aud such iu; tice as We at =
lst obtain 10 he delayed until litigahts II
re ruined. !.
To meet this great want of the people, =
lie Constitution has provided d Judicial !,
apartment, ample, but not too great to n
'omptly decide all questions of contro. q
ersy and secure a revision of all decis- ~
ms by an iUueptndent SrnreDna