Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-10-10

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acre, were given away by the govern
ment or sold at S. to $40 an acre.
We suppose that $50 and $40 represent
top land prices in North Dakota to-
day, with immense areas that can be
bought from those figures down to 81
and SIS an acre. 1t is certain that
land values in North Dakota will in a
decade increase at least 100 per cent
through the state as a whole, while it
is taking on a million people.
THE BISMARCK PRECINCT CASE
The city of Bismarck is divided into
four wards. The county of Burleigh
is divided into three commissioner
districts. Two years ago Bismarck
voted to incorporate under the general
city law. Prior to this time the
boundaries of election precincts in all
general elections have been fixed by
the board of county commissioners
and the inspectors in each precinct
have been named by the board. The
city law contemplates that the cleo
tion machinery in the incorporation
shall govern, the senior alderman in
each ward being inspector of election.
But the law does not contemplate a
condition such as exists in this county
and city.
Three of the city wards in Bismarck
are cut in two by the boundaries of
the first and second commissioner dis
tricts. Part of the voters in each
ward live in the second district and
part of them in the first district. If
the city council had changed the boun-
diaries of the wards so as to conform
with the boundary lines of the COM
missioner districts there would have
been no confusion. The city should
be divided into four wards-two
south and two north of the commits
sioner line. But it is too late to do
this before the general election. The
election precincts in the city are and
have been quite unequal in size for
some time. The county board in es-
tablishing the precincts for the forth
coming election changed the boundar-
les of the three city precincts so as to
make them of more uniform size.
They had no Interior motive in the
matter. They were confronted with
a problem and tried to solve it on lines
of equity n justice. They were moi
sure of their premises but a contin.
gency existed that warranted actor
of some kind. The city wards being
divided how could the senior alder
man act as inspector? What was tn,
extent of his jurisdiction? How
was a vote for commissioner il
the First district to be cast ant
counted? Should two ballot boxes b
provided and each voter declare hi
residence? There is no provision o
law for such proceeding.
The county commissioners simpl;
followed precedent and assumed tina
until the ward boundaries. or the law
should be changed it was their dut
to prescribe the election districts an
name the inspectors.
If not justified under the law to d
this, what course should be taken
Will the court advise and point on
the remedy? A simple declaratio
that the county commissioners hav
exceeded their authority would simpl
throw us back to the other end of til
dilemma and the city council woul
probably place us up against the sam
proposition.
All talk about ulterior and dishone.
motives on the part of the county con
missioners in this matter is me-
buncomb. eliminating from democra
and others who desire to accomplis
the defeat of the republican party
this county.
So far as the republicans are co
cerned they ARE not who the inspec
ors OF election are so long as they a
efficient and honest, and certain
gentlemen named either by the COZ
missioners on by the city council G.
be trusted to do their duty.
This cry of Job" and "gangisn
: and corruption" comes in bad gra
from the opposition press in Bismar
owned and controlled by one WI
piqued by the restraint of the new {
der Of things in Bismarck which do
away with gambling and other ral
= offs ON lawlessness. follows up t
crime of two years ago in disfranchi
ing the voters of the Fourth ward
= deserving the republican party a
joining the forces engaged in it's {
: struction.
IS.
!l fThe state committee announces til
Is Hon. M. N. Johnson will go on t
VII 1