The Dickinson press., 1891-03-07
STATE LEGISLATION.
RECORD OF WORK DONE BY NORTH
DAKOTA SOLONS.
A Comprehensive Summary of II Pro-
cccdinss for tho Week, Giving II List
of Important Bills Introduced, Re.
fcrred and Passed.
Thursday, Feb. 90.

f-rred and Passed.
Thursday, Feb. 90.
In the senate the sensation of the day
was Il reapportionment bill, introduced
by Jud La Moure, which provides for
seven more senators from the Red River
valley and il viewed with suspicion by
the Prohilitionists. A suspicious cir
cNmstance was that the bill was sent to
4 special committee consisting of Little,
Kuhn, Ink, Mccormack and Cashel in
stead Of the regular committee on ap-
portionnent. There are rumors, also.
of a scheme to put all the Prohibition
senators in the w numbered districts
and then fix the drawing so that they
will have the short terms. The seven
remaining days Of the session promise to
be full of interesting matters, and it is
likely that important business will be
seriously hindered.
In the senate apetition forthe repealo of
the prohibition penalty was read, signed
by the mayor of Valley City and 3O2
others.
Bills We're introduced providing for a
vote on woman suffrage in 1892; regu-
lating the adoption of children.
Bills We're passed appropriatiny
S $4,000 for the firemen's tournament:
amending the boiler inspection act; for
the protection of large game: levying a
state tax; counties to build bridges Of
value of over 500 and pay for the same
out of the general fund.
Bills were passed providing for five
trustees for Devils Lake mute school;
bringing school districts under general
law: publication of supreme court re-
ports: city levy for water works; teach
ing Scandinavian languages in state
university: personal taxes not to be col
lected by distress until October; making
railroads liable for fires started by loco
motives; giving county lien for seed
wheat: collection of statistics for COM
missioner of agriculture and labor.
Bills were killed to exempt irrigation
apparatus from taxation; relating to ill.,
valid tax sales; providing for payment
of fees from state Offices into the state
treasury.
The governor has approved bills for
five trustees for the Devils Lake mute
school: appropriation for state offices;
providing facilities for marking wool.
In the house, the wonan suffrage
committee, to which was referred the
bill prohibiting prize fighting, boxing,
etc, made two reports, the majority in
favor of the measure. The house
adopted the minority report, the argyll
ment being that the legislature was at
tempting to deprive the people of all
kinds of luXuries and amusements.
Friday, Feb. e..
Both houses worked hard and put
through Il large grist of bills. In the
senate the following bills passed: The
Australian system of conducting cleo
lions; to facilitate the shipment Of live
stock and grain; providing that school
land shall not be sold for less than $40
an acre: fixing the maximum salary of
county commissioners at $500; regulat-
ing primary elections: to prohibit the
spread of noxious weeds BY thrcshers;
allowing marriages at is and 1G if the
parents consent; regulating appeals in
civil actions; fixing fees of registers Of
deeds: providing for furnishing county
officers with state documents.
In the house bills We're passed regulat-
ing fees of clerks of district court; pro-
viding for probate of foreign wills; for
prevention of cruelty to animals; long
and short haul clause to railroad com
missioner law; providing for compila-
ton OF state laws by a commission of
three to be chosen by the governor;
transferring a part of Benson county to
Ramsey county; allowing physicians to
handle drugs under same restrictions as
pharmacists: also the joint committees
warehouse law, which called forth a
very interesting debate, and was finally
passed. Bills lost: Regulating attor-
ney's fees: wolf bounty: authorizing
levy of county immigration fund; re-
pealing repairers' lien en- %threshing ma
chinery; establishing Glendale indus
trial school; making owners of threshing
machines responsible for fires set by en-
glnes: also several amendments to the
school law. The house received a sen
ate message transmitting the resubmis-
nitely postponed.
Saturday, Feb. 80.
The interesting feature of the house
proceedings az the indefinite postpone
ment Of Osgood's lill to repeal the pro-
hibition law. The committee on tenn
perance reported it unfavorably and the
Prohibitionists intended to allow it to
so over until Monday. But the other
side proposed to make it a special order,
and were met by a substitute to indeh.
nitely postpone. They demanded a call
of the house, but it was easily dispensed
with, and the motion carried by a vote
OF % to 81. The bill to amend the pro-
hibition law in relation to druggists
permits to sell is a special order for
Monday morning. House bills passed:
Regulating cooperative and endowment
for some minor expenses. The bill pro-
viding for the township system of gov
eminent was lost. Most of the afternoon
was spent in committee of the whole
considering the revenue law amend
ments, which We're favorably recon-
mended. The standing committees were
ordered to report all bills in their posses
sion by Tuesday. Only two more days
remain for the consideration of house
bills, the last three days of the session
in the house being reserved for senate
bills. The governor has approved the
bill extending the time for payment of
delinquent 1890 taxes to Oct. Is.
In the senate the attorney general
submitted Il lengthy opinion on the
question of railroad taxation, holding
that the right Of way Of the Northern
Pacific and improvements thereon are
forever exempt from taxation by the
terms of the act under which the gov.
eminent authorized the construction OF
the road. Bills introduced: Kinter, to
regulate the sale Of poison by druggists
Almen, making formal transfer Of land
to Fargo agricultural college. Bills
passed: Locating Il blind asylum at
Pembina: authorizing township seed
grain bonds; prescribing qualifications
of voters; requiring clerks of courts te
keep an alphabetical index of cases; fix
ing compensation of county judges; pre-.
sc1ibing the duties of the president pre-
tenn of the senate. A number of bills
were referred i'll a way that meant fna
disposal, among them several railroad
bills and one appropriation for a new
building for the state university. The
governor approved the senate bill max
ing an appropriation to acquire title tt
state lands. La Moure's apportionmen'
bill occasloned lpucn discussion, put Ii
will probably not pass. One distric'
with less than 500 votes is given larger
representation than others with ovel
1000 votes,