The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-03-28
PROGRESS OF STATE IS
HAMPERED BY ARCf AIC
PART OF ORGANIC LAW
Movement to Repeal Section Of
Constitution Which Cuts
Out Aid BY State.

@A1N
Pierre, S. d March 25.-John HIP
pie, editor Of the Pierre Capital
journal, Is instituting a campaign OF
agitation for the repeal OF section l.
article 10, Of the constitution, whlch
provides:
Neither the state nor any county
township or municipality shall loan or
give it's credit or make donations to or
in aid OF any individual association or
corporation, except for the necessary
support Of the poor, nor subscribe TO or
become the owner of the capital STOCK
of any association or corporation, nor
pay or become responsible for the dept
or liability of any Individual, associa-
ton or corporation; Nor shaii
the state engage In any work or IN
ternal Improvement"
BY this constitutional prohibition the
state Of South Dakota is prevented
from carrying on by the use of the
states credit and resources many
needed lines of internal Improvement,
as good roads, possible railroads, ir-
rigation and water power projects ana
the mining Of Goa. A similar clause is
found In the constitutions of practical
ly all western states, and as Mr.. HIP
pie argues, at the time of its adoptlon
was probably q necessary eXped1ent 10
prevent the waste of the peoples mon
ey by e~xtravagant legislatures. 1t was
Incorporated in these later constltu-
lions because Of the experiences OF IL
linois, Michigan n other central
states in the '40s, when their assem-
blies bound them for great sums for
turnpike, canal and railway promotion.
TODAY in South Dakota, with the init
iative and referendum, whereby any
eX~traVagant appropriation would likely
be brought before the people for APP
prevail. this danger no longer exists, n
with it's removal, there is no longer
valid reason for the existence of this
prohibitory constitutional provision.
State a Manufactures.
A few years G a special constltu-
tional amendment enabled the state to
construct and operate a Irvine and shirt
factory at the Sioux Falls penitentiary.
This is the only industrial enterprise
carried on by the state, but there is a
long list OF internal improvements
which are vitality important to the de-
velopment Of South Dakota, many OF
which have been proposed to, and
would likely nave been enacted by the
legislature II not unconstitutional.
Among these is state aid for the con-
.struction Of improved highways.
Last session some important men,
bers, including Speaker Morris, con-
sidered the introduction Of such a bill
until they thought of the constitution
al difficulty. BY such a law the state
could build model roads where they
would be object lesson to all. For a
long period Of years the railways re-
fused to invade the rams Missouri
country. leaving It for two decades an
undeveloped Indian reservation. At that
time some public spirited citizens con-
templated a state" railway from the
Missouri to the Hills, but were pre-
vented from taking any active steps
haantIca IF fhn annaffftt ftnn Tharn q rn
vast tracts Of easily irrigated land in
the state, the development Of which
will likely be delayed for years be-
cause Of the impossibility Of state as
sistance. The several hundre miles of
Missouri river through the state cry out
for Improvement In order to enable
the people Of South Dakota to take ad-
vantage Of a great natural
Resources Suppressed.
Here again Its hands are tied. On
the Missouri there are two water pow
ers, the development of which would
produce hundreds of thousands of
horsepower which could be transmitted
throughout h state, but under the
present circumstance the state can do
nothing toward securing state control
or development of the same, leaving
them to some day be monopolized9 for
private gain. The people OF South Da-
kota pay annually $11 600, 900 for fuel.
~ large per cent VI Ills Is IOT ITtlS1t
Within the state there are Ignite fields
capable of furnishing heat for the en-
tire state at q very much lower price.
BY modern briquetting methods this
Ignite can be made equal to the very |
best anthracite and laid down anywhere |
In the state for from 81 to IS per ton.
Railway officials have said frequently |
that their roads would discourage in
every way possible the development of
these fields because they want the long
hauls from Pennsylvania, Indiana and
Illinois.
At the last session this matter OF
state development Of Its coal mines was
discussed by members, but the consti-
tuition prohibited any active steps.
In these n other avenues of neces-
sary internal Improvement which are
not attractive to private capital, or
which properly belong to the sphere OF
the state, the commonwealth Of South
Dakota can take no active part until
this clause Of its fundamental law Is
repealed.
AGRicULTURIsTs FORM
SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS
Aberdeen, S. D., March 25.-The
South Dakota Scientific Farming con-
gress is the title Of q new organization
formed at Aberdeen. 1t takes the place |
CT The former South Dakota Dry Farm |
ing congress, and will become associated
with the International Dry Farming
congress-. The officers Of the new or
ganization are: President, G.. r. Ma
lone, of Draper; first vice president. F.
II rt-thar ~ " |