Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-03-06

ton until tomorrow, so that the amend
ments could be printed in the journal.
Mr.. LUTZ moved as a substitute to make
the bill and amendments a special order
for II a. m, Wednesday.
Mr.. GILL moved to adjourn. Lost
% to 30.
Mr.. GILL moved to amend Mr.. Lutz's
motion by making special order for 4 p. III.
Wednesday.
This was accepted by Mr.. Lutz, and
carried.
1t must not be supposed that these mo-
tlons came so closely as above given. They
are thus printed in order that the reader
may more clearly follow the details of the
parliamentary fight. There was debate
on every motion upon which debate is
allowed, as we'll as upon some motions
that are n~On-debatable, and several able
speeches were made.
Mr.. BURKE at one point in the battle
complained of the number of lobbyists
present, and warned them to keep low or
he would move for their expulsion.
Mr.. BROOKE, after the reading of a pc
tition. moved that it be sent back to the
signers with the information that the
petition bore the name OF E. Ashley Mears.
Mr.. Brooke wanted it returned to Mr..
Mears with the request that hereafter he
do not charge 500 attorney fee in fore
closing a 17-dollar mortgage.
Mr.. GILL thought it was unfair to ring
in a lot of amendments which changed the
entire prohibitory law. He wanted the
acted on intelligently. He knew nothing
of these amendments. 1t vas a dastardly
attempt to force an unknown bill upon the
house. 1t was not an attempt to improve
the law, but to weaken it.
Mr.. BROOKE said that if any man had
not sense enough to know what the
amendments meant, he should not have
the repeal of the imprisonment penalties.
Everybody knew that the repeal matter
was coming up. 1t had been discussed all
around the city of Bismarck, and these
petitions showed that it was known
throughout the state. The aim in referring
it to the temperance committee was to kill
it. The prohibitlonists in the house were
if every prohibitionist in the house would
quit drinking he'd vote against the bill.
He was not in favor of setting aside the
law, and the present question was Simply
one of the degree of penalty. But he was
opposed to sumptuary laws. He claimed
that he was a free agent. To control the
appetite of the individual by statutory pro.
visions was worse than human slavery.
Such laws would not and could not be en-
forced. He would go down town after ad-
journment, and no one had more right to
ask him what he would drink when he got
there than they had to ask him whether he
would eat soft-boiled eggs and mackerel
or something else.
At another point Mr.. Brooke called time
on Mr.. Gill for speaking too often; and Mr..
Gill claimed that Mr.. Brooke had already
spoken fourteen times on the subject.
Mr.. BURKE also made a mastery plea
for radnofinp nf rho ronoIty r ~ n III,
basis. He thought Mr.. Gills motion to ad-
fourn was tricky and unfair. Mr.. Gill
knew that if the house adjourned the bill
could only come up again under Suspen-
sion Of the rules, which would require a
twO-thirdS vote. He clamored tor fairness
until he thought he had a sinch; then
he was quick enough toimprove the oppor-
tunity. Mr.. Burke favored enforcing
every law upon the statute books of the
commonwealth; but these cruel penalties
In the prOhibitOry law could not be en-
forced. II they were made more moderate
they could be enforced. But no man-at
least, few men-Will sit upon a jury and
sentence to the states ~prison-away from
home, wife and little ones-a fellow crea-
ture who has sold or given away a glass of
strong drink-for doing something that
thousands of people consider no crime. II
would not do it.; you would not do it. |
would sit on a jury forever before |
would commit such a grievous outrage
npon justice. Is it not better to have laws
you can enforce? Other laws can be en-
forced because every citizen is interested
kill another, or steal a horse or a COW, you
inform on him at once, because you know,
if left running at large, he may kill you or
steal your horse. But when you see a
man sell or give strong drink to another,
you will say, | am not my brothers keeper.
He may give to him, but he canno give to
me; and you will not inform on
and unusual punishment will be a hundred
times greater than MS Otfense."
Mr.. BENNETT spoke ably and clearly
from the prohibitionist point Of view.
bitlonists were disposed to be tricky, he
claimed that it was time they were becom-
ing cute. They should not be blamed for
it. They had been bamtoozled too long by
politicians not to have learned something.
The gentleman from Stutsman had made
a motion on a previous day to allow
amendment of bills on the third reading.
Did he do it with the intention of letting
in this bill? The gentleman from Ramsey
had said he knew nothing of there being
such a motive in the motion. II am glad
of that said MI. bennett; with the know.
ledge of gentlemen besides the gentleman
~ "ouiu AoSO lOOhCu altO-
gether to much like a snap"
MI. BURTON said that, in his Judgment,
the amendments we're not germain to the
bill, and he read from the house rules and
from the constitution to prove that a bill
and its amendments must jibe.
MI. BROWN said it was an outrage to
put men in prison for violating such laws.
If he was a juror he would never vote to
convict with the severe penalties now in
force. He believed that honor in the in
dividual was the best regulator of his
appetite. He had looked in the dictionary,
and he wanted to give the definition he
found there: "Honor-That which right
fully attracts esteem, respect or considers
ton; self respect; dignity; courage; fidelity;
especially excellence Of character; high
moral worth; virtue, %nobleness, especially
if in men; integrity; uprightness; trust
worthiness: in woman, purity, chastity; a
nice sense Of what Is right, just and true,
with a course of life correspondent thereto;
strict conformity to the duty imposed by
conscience, position or privilege" AS the
poet says:
Say, what is honor! IT'S the finest sense
OF Justice which the human mind can frame,
Intent each lurking trailty to disclaim,
And guard the way of life from all offense
Suffered or done"
Mr.. LUTZ said, in reply to the gentleman
from Cavalier (Mr nannattl that of tho