The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-11-03
THE RnFBRRED LAWS.

SNNNs
RaIl.
This ID purely . political measure.
And Il wa referred to the voters en-
airesIy - : political act.
The law Of tho United States re-
Qired that every state divide its ter
ritory into congressional districts.
Ills IL j mandate that South Dakota
has never needed and. ~ tho point
was Dever raised against the congress
me chosen In this state. the question
Wan nsvsr considered by congress.
Ho~sver. there can be no dispute Of
the tact that South Dakota q violat-
ins the plain command Of the federal
law in electins two congressman at
large
The last legislature became sud-.
denly convinced Of the imperative ne
cessity$o f sairyixt. ont the directions
81 sthS FEDERAL authority. It will b
semssrhhssssd that the last legtsla-
TIRE x6S ecntrollsd5 By the "pro-
srsssijs Republicans. The two
conIIIiyesiasIamen belonged to the 9TH
q faction % the party. There SEEM
ed rave doubt of the ability of any
candidates Who might be offered BY
the s'progrossIves,'. to dislodge them
e they should DO chosen BY the whole
state. Consequently It a decided
TO divide the. state into districts in
such asway % to give the .'progres-
sives'' control Of one district and the
.'stalvarts'' tho other. This was ac-
compltshed without putting tho two
congfessmsn Into the same district,
though ons of the districts stretched
xroaasFallS River county. In the south
west corner Of the state. TO Roberts
county q the northeast corner. This
district Included the north part Of the
atats ana Che Black Hills, two locali-
tIes whore the "stalwarts" are strong.
Burke wa given q his district the
so~uthsastern part ofsthe state. where
tho ..prosressives'' have been strong.
It was calculated. that the bill would
leave Martin IN bis seat, but displace
Burke with : progressive"
CONGRESSMAN Burke. OF course,
80 fully aware Of what the measure
would mean 20 HIM ina primary con-
test for reconciliation! He and his
friends caused the circulation Of .
petition fof tho purpose Of referring
tho measure 70 aaSyote q. the people.
This had eject Of suspending the
Law. tt least until sitter this years
primary election.
The ''progressives" undertook to
prevent this suspension; Of the law by
appeelins g the state supreme court.
Il va argued that, since this BIZ.
q passed In compliance with direc-
tinns By congress, IL was not within
the power Of the state Of South Da-
kota to vote on the question. Able at
torneys endorsed this view Of the
matter. but the state supreme court
did not agree with them, and the law
III on the big ballot. ss
The sprogressives" have endeavor-
ed % cover up the political aspect Of
the measure By saying that the gov.
eminent requires that the state be
districted. which is true enough: How
svsf. there Is little doubt that the rea,
authors Of the bill had more in mind
the political advantage It would
dive them. The '.stalwarts" are equal
az insipcerre. however. IN refusing to
acknowledge the fact that their OPP
Sposition % the bill is because 1t would
operate to their peacal disadyant,
-. They say that the 1870 census
iii 9tyetha state a third congress
ssssndst that then It will be impossi-
ERlwH aEaG