Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1891-02-27
LETTER FROM THE CAPITAL.

OlIu StSSioll ol lnc legislative assembly OF
North Dakota will be thing of the past.
When adjournment takes place there will
be, as usual, large number Of bills un
acted upon; but all the measures of most
Importance will have been either passed or
defeated. The fact is that large part
the larger part-of the time of the assembly
is taken up III considering and knocking
out impracticable and wild cat bills, gener
ally introduced to satisfy some radical
constituency, and the introducer having
neither hope nor wish for their passage.
1t must be said, however, that this session
has done good work, and those who have
been present at past sessions claim that in
labor performed the present assembly
compares very favoraby with its prede-
ceSSOrS.
There are two questions in which the
people of Emmons county are vitally inter
csted. | refer to the Limitation OF damage
by prairie fires, and to the prevention of
the spread of infectious diseases among
sheep. Both have been earnestly and in
telliSently considered, and the result will
be strong laws on both subjects. While
some may critci>e few of the provisions
of the sheep-infecti0n bill-especially the
provision that allows flock masters to stop
within five miles of their
range-it must be remembered that
'desperatc diseases require desperate rem
edies." and that the sheep interest itself is
asking for this strong legislation. knowing
as they do that the only "it' in the matter
of making and keeping their business ex
tremely protitable is that Jf scab, and that
the wide prevalence Of the disease would
mean total destruction to an interest which
the most thoughtful citizens believe will
prove the salvation of three quarters of the
state.
A bill was introduced in the house to
allow stock to run at large from Nov. to
April 15; but it was opposed by the Red
River valley, where the exclusively grain
raising interest is paramount, while others
thought the present county.opton law
sufficient. The bill was defea' ed, but the
discussion showed that the numbers are
growing of those who believe that free
for the DEVELOPMENT Of live stock husband
ry in this state, and that farmers who are
willing to protect their stacks and door
yards by the expenditure of a few dollars
should not have their animals left to the
mercy of those who will not fence. The
RECORD year ago took strong grounds in
favor of the county option law, and the
rit
when the farmers of EmmOns county will
adopt its provisions. At present 1t is not
likely that it could be carried at the polls
but, as each settlers herd increases, he
will become an advocate of the measure
until, finally, there will be little opposition
to it. Then, as the RECORD claimed a year
ago. there will be an end to the wretcled
neighborhood rows, bicl erings and heart
burnngs that-more than by other causes
have been brought about by differences
over trespassing stock.
The alliance between the slope members
and the prohibitionists continues, and un-
dOubtedly will to the end of the session.
OF course the resubmissionsts are sorry
that the measure was defeated, but entire
ly satisfied that the slope members could
pursue no other course than the one adopt
ed by them. A great many of the resubs
of the Red River valley claim, however,
that, while capital removal is d. ad, resub
mission has passed, and can be acted on by
the next session and submitted to the peO-
pie. This, of course, provided majority
of both houses of the Third Legislative AS
sembl: should favor it. The line of argl-
| ment is this: ResubmissiOn was carried in
both houses; in each house it was clinched
by the method prescribed in the rules of
the bpdy--tlat is, by the motion to recon
slider and to lay that motion on the table
which, under the rules in both houses, re-
moves question from further considera-
| tiOn during the session. This being true,
| they claim that after the action was
taken in both houses the preliminary
| move toward resubmissiOn was an ac-
complshed fact: that it was then the joint
action of the two bouses; that all the ex-
punging in the world would not alter the
| fact, and that the next session will only
need oral testimony to prove the passage
of the resubmission bill through both
houses. The outside resubs further CLAIM.
that, if their position is not correct, then
there is an end to all legislation, and that
even the most wholesome measures passed
may at any time during session be wiped
out by new combinations of a bare majority
in one house. The slope resubs, however,
are saying nothing. They have knocked
out the relOcatlonists. and they have no
''cal" for further argument of abstruse
legal propositions. The gentlemen from
the valley of the Red. who see their small
change gradually but surely gravitatng
toward the Minnesota shore, will have a
monopoly in that line during the next two
years. The Missouri slope will keep quiet;
it is noted for never going back on its COM
binations.
In the senate Tuesday the bill to repeal
section q of the banking law, relating to
private banks, was defeated by vote of
17to7.
The bill requiring publishers to swear,
in each affidavit OF publication, that
they have l50 bona fde and continuous
subscribers, exclusive of exchanges, has
become a law.
A good many of the solons are getting
tired and say they want to get to their
families.
There are two apportionment bills-one
in the house and one in the senate. Spna-
tor Kinter's bill re.apportions on a basis
of population. 1t puts Emmons, Kidder
and Logan into one district, with one sena-
tor and two representatives. Mcintosh is