The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1911-01-20

they had remained at home.
Pierre-There is a probability that
the present Legislature will submit the
question Of calling a cCnstitu GA
convention. to the people, for their
decision. The present instrument IS
conceded to be defective, in fat pa Is
of it are obsolete. There Is little
question but what a vast ma 'orty o.
the legislators are convinced hat 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 its constitution, that the orig
inal instrument is little than a
bunch of statutory laws. At least
a dozen joint resolutions, pro- o Ing
amendments to it, have been intro
duced in the legislature so far this ses-
sion, and amendments of the past
cover a good many pages of the dig
inal document. Hardly a measure an
be brought to the attention Of the
legislators, without having its con-
st]itutionality questioned. The need
VI liz NOllllltlI "SolNh ONN ~
and the conditions demand a change.
There has been considerable conject-
ure as to when the cOnyent:on wou d
be called and a new constiIu ion also
adopted. should the matter he acted
favorably upon at the present sc siol.
1t might be we'll to state here that
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 e.
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
1918 would call it. In the following
year the people would choose the dele
gates. The convention could then be
held, but the result of tire me ting
could not be submitted to thu e,ple
for ratification before 1915. Thu thu
fifteenth legislature of the state would
be the first to convene under the new
instrument.
Representative PARROT, of Walwsrth
has 9 measure in the house call n fer
the submission of the question % the
people at the fall election of 1872.
The only possible objection to such
action is the fear of freak measures
creeping inEo the new document but
it is doubtful if anything radical fould
pass through 4 body of comHetent
men and then stand the scrutiny OF
the electors.
Representative Hursh's measure Oh.
B. No. 141, was given its third readins
in the house yesterday, but final ac-
ton was deferred until Monday. The
bill is for an act authorizing the
circuit courts OF the state to settle
the affairs business and property rights
of mining corporations, which have
been dissolved by operation OF the
law. by expiration OF the time limited
by the articles of incorporation, ana
to distribute the assets among the
creditors and the stockholders.
There are over two hundred defunct
mining companies in the Back Hills.
These companies ceased to exist years
axe. and now that the time limited
by the articles of incorporation has
expired. nothing can be done until
relief Is granted by the state. A
majority of the properties of thfse
companies a~e valuable and with the
modern methods Of mining. could De
made to pay well. The intent OF the
bill is to adjust the affairs of these
old companies. pay the creditors and
the stockholders. and oren up new
fields for capital.
The democratic members Of the
legislature. held an informal mi ting
and invited r. e. Dowde,l. of Artesian
20 address them. Mr.. Dowdell Is a
former member and has been In the
capital attending the meeting Of the
press.