St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-23
North Dakota Statemakers
Won't Swallow Williams
Constitution.
They Admit That It Is Good
as Far as It
Goes.
However, 1t Is Not in Har-
nony With Hobbies and
Doesn't Go.
Southrons Decide to Make the
Best Of a Bad
Job.

BISMARCK, Dak.. July 22.-A number
of the delegates who went home, eX-
pecting to remain until tomorrow, have
returned and the convention is again
at work. The Williams complete con-
stitution, synopsis of which has been
given, is the subject of much discus
sion. All who have read it admit that
the convention would not make any
serious mistake in adopting it IN full,
but it is not in harmony with some of
the hobbies, and must therefore undergo
amendment and decentralization, if not
entirely brushed aside for a new-made
document. 1t conflicts with the ju-
the establishment of county courts
and conflicts with the ideas of
the county court advocates by
refusing to abolish the office
of justice of the peace. 1t antagonizes
the woman sutfragists by ignoring them
altogether; it does not please the pro-
hibitionists, because it leaves the QueS-
ton entirely with the legislature and
makes no provision for submission of
the question to vote. Thus it will be
seen that, although a complete and
model constitution, it will be the sub
ject of some spirited discussions. At
this afternoons session it was ordered
thatall standing committees be required
to report by next Thursday. This is
done to force the convention to buSi-
ness. The time for the Introduction of
proposed articles for the constitution
expired to-day, and, as the committees
must report on them before Thursday,
the body will soon be hasten
ing toward the day of adjourn
ment. Appleton. of Pembina, has
Another plan for diSposing of the school
lands. He would have not more than
one-fourth Of the lands sold within five
years, and no more than tWOthirdS in
ten years. The commissioners of school
lands, the county auditor and the county
superintendent of schools of the re-
spective counties shall constitute boards
OF appraisal to appraiSe all school lands
to be sold. All sales shall take place at
the county seats. Harris, of Burlegh,
has introduced legislative apDortiOn-
ment. 1t provides that until otherwise
provided the senate shall consist of
thirty-five members and the house of
representatives of seventy members.
Lander, of Richland, introduced an az
ticle discOuraging the holding of large
tracts of lands by individuals or corpOr-
atiOnS as
AGAINST THE PUBLIC WELFARE,
also one on taxation providing that
the franchise roadway, r0ad-bed and
rolling stock of railroads shall be as
sessed by the state board of equalization
at their actual value the same to be ap-
portioned to the counties, cities, town.
ships and districts in which the roads
are located, and railroads shall not be
valued at less than $1,000 nor more than
$1,000 per mile. 1t also provides that
income taxes may be collected from
persons, corporations or joint stock
tr0duced by Sondager, of Ransom, as
follows: Deducting from salaries of
public officers, who may be guilty of
neglect of duty. diSfraDchising persons
giving or receiving briDes for votes,
prohibiting the forming of trusts, pre-
venting the passage of any law exempt
ing under the gross earnings tax system
any property of railroad other than
that actually used in the operations of
the business; limiting homestead eX-
emptions to $500; providing that nothing
shall be exempt from distress and sale
for taxes except wearing apparel and
household goods. At the request of W.
J. Anderson, of GRAND Forks, Bennett,
that at the general election Immediately
preceding the expiration of the term of
a United States senator from this state,
the electors may by ballot express their
preference for candidates for the United
States senate. Burleigh asks that
among the officers of the state of North
Dakota shall be a commissioner of agri-
culture. The event of the day was the
consideration of the resolution providing
for single body legislature.
The leading champion of the one
house idea was Stevens, Of Ransom.
who delivered a carefully prepared
speech, citing the fact that the Declara-
ton of Independence was adopted and
promulgated by a single body. That
the constitutions of the states have all
been adopted by single bodies, and the
great cities, with their vast population
and farreaching commerce, are gov
erned by single bodies. Rev. Ezra
Turner, of Bottineau, and Parsons, of
Morton, also spoke in favor of the one
house plan, the latter holding that this
would be the solution of the great prob
lem of corporation legislation. He
maintained that the corporations con-
troll the upper body in nearly every state
in the Union, and that one large repre-
sentative body, without the check of an
upper branch, would be blessing to
the people. The question was dis
cussed in committee of the whole. and
the committee rose without reaching
vote, they leaving the subject to come
up for discussion again tomorrow.
DELEGATES MUST DIG UP.
South Dakota Statemakers' Bank
Roll Is Almost Exhausted.
SIOUX FALLS, OAK, July 22.-Just
third of the delegates were present at
a ten-minute session of the convention
to-day. The only business presented
was a resolution instructing the joint
committee on the part of South Dakota
that in case of any uncertainty as to the
location OF the seventh standard paral-
lei, the boundary line between the
Dakotas, as fixed by the omnibus bill.
to come to the best possible agreement
with the committee of North Dakota,
and report the same. A report is being
circulated by members of the conven-
tion that in case of a disagree
ment or deadlock in the joint
committee over the division of the
property of the territory, or in
establishing the boundary line, Presi-
dent Harrison will by proclamation ad-
nit the Dakotas without full settle
ment and refer the matter to congress
for arbitration. Computations by sew
eral members develop the fact that by
the close of the week the $4,000 appro-
priation will be exhausted, in which
case the delegates will be obliged to go
down into their pockets for their ex-
penses during the remainder of the
session and trust to legislature or con-
gress for reimbursement. The action
of the schedule committee in refusing