This column ran in the Sept. 8 edition of the Prairie Post. In
August of 1889 the North Dakota Constitutional Convention
finished its work. It went to the voters on October 1 and by
November the President signed the paperwork and North Dakota
became another star on the flag. That special election had a
couple of issues for the voterâ€™s consideration. The measure to
approve the Constitution passed by about 27,000 to 8,000 votes.
The communities that got an institution like Jamestown with the
State Hospital and Valley City with a teacherâ€™s college all
voted overwhelmingly for the constitution. In all 14 communities
got either a school, hospital or prison. Quite a load of public
institutions for a new state with only 191,000 people. The other
measure on the ballot dealt with prohibition. This passed with
1,200 vote margin of 18,552 for prohibition and 17,393 against.
But the constitution had a few other clauses and I have to admit
I donâ€™t know how many of these are still in force. The
constitution guarantee