The Dickinson press., 1890-04-12
His Weakest Veto.

His Weakest Veto.
OF all the vetoes promulgated by
Governor Miller, this is the weakest.
The bill surrounded the proposed
elections in the m%norganized counties
with all the safeguards necessary to
insure a fair and honest vote, and the
veto of the measure is an injustice to
the honest settlers of vast region-
to Il class of citizens who are as much
entitled to II voice in state affairs as
any other people. The governor says
he is strengthened in his conclusions
by the experience of other states, hut
he fills to give names and dates. He
makes Il sweeping assertion unsup-
poeted by proof. What justice is
there in the policy that taxes the
property of the settlers in the unor-
ganized counties and deprives the
taxpayers of il voice in the selection
of members of the legislature to rep
resent their interests! The governor
says the counties i sparsely settled.
This is true, but what of that! These
counties will always be in this condi-
ton. 1t is Il stock region and the ILL.,
ture OF the country in most of these
counties will forever bar them from
reaching the constitutional number
of inhabitants for organization. The
intimation of the governor that only
$50 electors are required to organize
a county is dishonest and deceiving.
The constitution nullitied the law on
the statute books and now no new
county Il he organized with less
than 1000 inhabitants. 10 deprive
the settlers of one.third the area of
North Dakota from a voice in their
government until the counties in
which they live have this number of
inhabitants is a rank injustice. There
are not. at the present time, perhaps
to exceed 500 voters in all the nnor-
ganized counties and if, as has been
charged, the governor is afraid they
belong to the "old gang" and their
influence would defeat the success of
the "new gang" then he is more timid
than many of his warmest friends
have believed.
The bill left it with the governor
to determine IS to the business of the
claims of any unorganized county to
hold al election, and the Tribune fails
to see wherein there was danger in
the enactment of this law. Take
Hettinger county, for instance, where
the New England colony is located.
There is as intelligent and prosperous
a community as exists in the state.
They have schools and churches and
a live weekly newspaper of two years
standing. 1t is doubtful, however,
If the county will have a Thousand
population for five years to come.
Why should these people be disfran.
chised!
1t is estimated that in the morgan.
lied counties of the state there is
now about $l,0O0,0OO worth of per-
sonal property in the shape of horses,
cattle and sheep. Something over
$4,000 head of sheep were added last
year and the splendid advantages for
stock now being known, this region
must increase in wealth at a wonder.
full rate during the next few years.
The owners Of stock, if they pay tax
es, demand and deserve champions
and protectors of their interests in
the legislature. The legislature, by
a large majority, passed a bill giving
them this right. The governor has
vetoed it, not for good reasons, the
Tribune holds, but because of ground.
less, senseless Embellishments Trib'
une.