Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-08-06
ooNsrIrur1onAt AMnNDMENrs.
Three to Be Voted Upon in South Dakota
ThislFall.

) -
Three to Be Voted Upon in South Dakota
ThislFall.
(Sturgis Record)
Constitutional AMENDMENTS do not, as
rule, receive neark so large a vote as
is cast for the candidates for state Office
at the general electiobs. Thisyear there
ere three amendments to be voted upon,
and all are such that they will undoubt-
edly poll as heavy vote as any amend
rnent to the constitution has received
since the organization of the state.
They are: First, the question of equal
suffrage. Second, the state dispensary
system for the control of the liquor
traffic, and third, the initiative
and referendum. Of these the vote
on equal suffrage will bo largely
on personal preildice of the individual
voter in regard 70 the right of women to
vote. In regsd to the dispensary
system, it has beer tried in North
Carolina aud has-4+even even worse
failure than prohibition did in this
state. If every citizen of the state, both
those appointed to look after the busi-
ness and the patrons, were ready to put
aside selfish motives and work for the
interest of the state alone, it might be
feasible, but without this utopisn state
affairs it would be a farce, and it is not
at all likely that the voters will accept
| it,
The initiative and referendum have
been taken up as distinct party issue
by the popullsts, and will be before the
people largely as party measure.
| While there are some arguments in fav.
or of the referendum portion of such an
enactment, and that very theory is
being applied in the case of the law it.
self, it is hard to see any theory in favor
ofthe initiative asapplied by the amend
ment, which is not more than overbal-
anced by the evil to be found in it. The
amendment is as follows:
Section l. That section / of article
of the constitution Of the State of South
Dakota be amended so as to read as
follows:
Section 2, question submitted. The
legislative power of the state shall be
vested In the legislature, which shall
consist of a senate and house of repre-
sentatives, except that the people ex-
pressly reserve to themselves the right
to prepare measures, which measures
the legislature shall enact and submit to
vote OF the electors of the stale, and
also the right to require that any laws
which the legislature may have enacted
shall be submitted to vote of the elec
tors ofthe state before going into effect,
except such laws as may be necessary
for the immediate preservation of the
public peace, health or safety, support
of the state government and it's existing
public institutions.
Provided, That no more than five per
cent OF the qualified electors Of the state
shall be required - invoke either the
initiative or the referendum.
This section shall not be construed SO
as to deprive the legislature or any
member thereof Of the right to propose
any measure, the veto power of the
executive shall not be exercised as to
measures referred to a vote of the peo-
pie. This section shall apply to munich
palities. The enacting clause of all laws
approved by vote of the electors of the
state shall be, "Be it enacted by the
people of South Dakota"
The first part Of section 2 provides
that measure which has been propos.
ed by the people shall be by the legis-
lature enacted and submitted to vote
of the electors Of the state" The latter
part of the section prevents the veto
power of the executive from being exer-
clsed as to any measure so proposed.
This wou d, when measure were once
introduced by "the people," bring it to
vote, regardless of what might be con-
tained in the bill. The legislature would
be prohibited from defeating it no mat
ter how faulty or big the job in
the bill might be, nor could
the executive in any way pre-
vent it. True, under the provisions
ofthe amendment, the legislature, in
making provisions for the carrying out
Of the amendment, could compel every
bill SO presented to be petitioned for
by five per cent of the voters of the
state, Which would be between 1000
and 5,000 but how long would it take
for the shrewd manlpulators of fjobs to
secure such petition, and at a much
less expense than they would be at in
sustaining lobby to work. And once
they had secured the required number
of petitioners the constitution itself
would compel their deal to 60 through.
The defenders of the measure then take
the position that even ifaj job could thus
be easily ground through the legislature,
the people would have a chance at it
and would kill it in case it were not
meritorious. But every man who has
crank idea on legislation could COM
mend this plan as we'll as those who
wished to work through meritorous
measures, and the ballot at the succeed
ing election would be such wet blanket
that not one voter in hundred would
be able to inform himself as to what was
good or what was bad, and would be left
the choice of voting "ye," and chance
it on all the amendments, or vote to kill
all of them for fear of assisting in VI
cious legislation.
The New Engines Coming.
1t is understood among railroad men
that the new high pressure engines to
be introduced upon this division by the