The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-01-19

they had remained at nome.
Pierre-There is a probability that
the present legislature will submit the
question of calling a cCnsttu,lonaI
convention. 10 the people, fer their
decision. The present instrument Is
conceded to be defective. in fact pa t.
of it are obsolete. There is little
question but what a vast majority o.
the legislators are convinced that a
general revision should be made and
a cOncensus of opinion is that now
is the time to begin.
South Dakota has today so far out.
grown it's constitution, that the orr :
inal instrument is little more than a
bunch Of statutory laws. At lCas.
a do en- Joint resolutions, pro- o in :
amendments to it, have been int o.
duCed in the legislature so far this ses-
sion, and amendments of the past
cover a good many pages OF the orig
inaI document. Hardly a measure an
be bought to the attention OF the
legislators, without having its con-
stitutiOnality questioned. The need1
of the commonwealth have outgrown 1t
and the conditions demand a lhange.
There has been considerable cOnject-
ure as to when the convention wou q
be called and a new constitute also
adopted. should the matter lie acted
favorably upon at the present sc sion.
1t might be well to state here hat
should they begin on the matter now,
it would take at least six years to
bring about the desired result. That
is one reason why Governo" Yes ey
so urgently requested the solons to
act now.
The question must first be submitted
to the voters at a legislative election.
That would be in 1912. Should the
question be favored, the Legislature OF
1913 would call it. In the tollOwi7 g
year the people would choose the dele
gates. The convention could then be
held. but the result of tie me ting
could not be submitted to tn e pie
for ratification before 1916. Thu the
fifteenth legislature of the state would
be the first to convene under the new
instrument.
Representative PARROT, of Walwo~th
has a measure in the horse cell n for
the submission of the question t. the
PEOPLE at the fall ele~ti-n Ct 10 2.
The only possible OBJECTION to surh
acton is the fear Of freak measures
creeping into the new doom MT hrt
it is doubtful if anything radical COLD
pass through a body of ccm etent
men and then stand the sCr~tiny of
the electors.
Representative Hursh's measu e, OF
B. No. 1D, was given its third read.nE
in the house yesterday, but fnal "a
ton was deferred until Non'av. Tn
bill is for an act authorizing the
circuit courts OF the state TO settle
the affairs Business and proper y riyats
of mining corporations, which nave
been dissolved by operation o tn
law. by expiration Of the time i'm tel
by the articles of incorporate |, anu
TO distribute TIE aes~ts amorg the
creditors and the stockholders.
There are over two hund Oh defun -
mining companies in the B acF Fl Is
These companies ceased to e { yea :
ago, and now that the time limited
by the articles of incorpo a'iTn has
expired, nothing cen he dom until
relief Is granted by the state. A
majority of the properties OF tn Sc
companies a~e VARIABLE and with tie
modern methods Of MINING, cold b.
made to pay well. The intent or the
bill is to adjust the affa RS of these
old companies, pay the cred t"rs an1
the stockholders, and o"en up new
fields for capital.
The democratic nemte"s CT III
Legislature, held an informal me ting
and invited r. E. Dowde | Of Artesian
% address them. Mr.. D1wd9I Is a
former member and has heen IN the
capital attending the meeting Of the
press.