Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-02-22
Senate convened at 2 p. IN.
Prayer by the chaplain.

Senate convened at z p. N.
Prayer by the chaplain.
NEW BILLS
BY SENATOR HAGGART: Amending
chapter 100 OF the laws OF 1890. providing
for the Incorporation of cities. Regulating
the city Indebtedness.
BY Committee on Education: Free tex
book bill.
BY Committee on Education: Amending
the law relating to a uniform system OF
public schools.
BY SENATOR HAGGART: Amending
the city incorporation law in regard to as
SesSmentS.
TIE HAGGART BILLS.
One is to amend and re-enact article Is
chapter "a of the laws of 1887. The old law
has taxes for repairs and building and
sidewalk collected by the city treasurer.
This attached amendment is to have said
taxes and assessments reported by the
common council to the county auditor and
collected by the county treasurer at the
same time that other taxes are collected.
Also that repairs of sidewalks under the
present law permits cities to repair side.
walks, paying for the same out of the gen
eral fund, but does not provide any practi.
cable way for recovering same from prop
erty owners. This amend Went provides
that repairs of less than $40 shall be as.
sessed against the property and collected
by the county treasurer, as above de.
Scribed.
AS to the other, Chapter 100 of Section
OF the session laws of 1890, so reads as to
prevent Incorporated cities from becoming
indebted to an amount exceeding 5 per
cent. OF the assessed valuation. as deter
mined at the preceding city assessment,
whether for general purposes or for water
and sewers. 1t is manifest, however, that
it was not the intention to refer to water
and SnxunrS in this ant hnf ftnuo rn r,,r,
unde the act for the reason that they were
not specially excepted, and it is the pur-
pose of the amendment attached hereto to
except water and W Indebtedness.
Chapter 100, Section 4, of the same act,
viz: session laws of 1890, so reads as to limit
city Indebtedness to 4 per cent of the as
sessed valuation, as determined at the pre-
ceding city assessment, and while it refers
to water and sewers it does not except the
Indebtedness for other purposes. 1t is,
therefore, the purpose of the amendment
attached here to except the Indebtedness of
s per cent already established for other pur-
poses.
The constitution fixes the limit of city in
debtedness at 5 per cent for general pur-
poses, but by a two-thirds vote an incorpo-
rated city may increase the limit an add
tl0nal 3 per cent for general purposes.
There IS also an additional provision in the
constitution permitting Incorporated cities
to incur an Indebtedness of 4 per cent for
water and sewer without regard to any
previous Indebtedness. And it is the pur-
pose of these amendments to bring the
laws lnuo harmony with the constitution.
Personal MATTER.
SENATOR LAMOURE roasted the edi-
tor Of the jamestown Alert for an article
which appeared in a late issue, in which
Mr.. LaMoure was described as represent
ing the railroad interests, as follows:
Something new in the tax line developed
today. Hon: Jud LaMoure, representing
the railroad interest, has handed in the fol-
lowing proposition for the taxation of rail-
roads:
That amount of the tax upon the gross
earnings of the road to be paid in any one
year shall not be less than o., per cent
upon a valuation of 81 600 per mile, main
track or branch lines, and to be paid on or
before the 18th of February and the 1st of
August.
This is such a remarkable proposition
that members who have known the tenac-
ity with which railroad companies fight to
keep their taxes down will have to look
twice at the figures before they can believe
them. The proposition is altogether such
liberal one, coming from the Great North
ern, as to cause a doubt, almost a grave
doubt, as to the genuineness of the propo-
sltlon. viz: will the companies live up to
it? The tax would be 500 mile, and, as
the railroad mileage of the state amounts
to 2,5OS miles. the offer would bring in
S250,S0O, of which the state would get half.
The proposition also raises the total
S7OWN more b at present. It also raises
the Northern Pacific taxes if they consent
t come in under the plan. In that seems
to lie the puzzle. 1t is not known whether
the Northern Pacific is a party to this prop
osltlon or not, and whether there is entire
harmony in the railroad family or not"
rms was the first time he ever learned
that ne represented a railroad company,
ana he desired to deny it in toto. If ne
had made a proposition which is going to
raise taxes, it was partially to secure money
TO repair the devastation made on the pub
nc treasury by the output of which the
Alert editor was a leading beneficiary. If
mere is anything that to Indicate that he
represented a railroad company, he could
not see it.
SENATOR BURKE moved that the arti-
Gle be amended so as to read that Jud La
Moure does not represent the railroad com
panleS' interests.
The motion was not seconded and the
breeze blew over.
SENATE BILL PASSED.
No. 6S (Rourke's). amending the exemp.
ton avs. Passed, ~ ayes.
Adjourned.
The house met at l D. m.
Prayer by the chaplain.
PETITIONS.
Mr.. STAFNE, against resubmission and
against Mr.. Tyler's drainage bill.
II CROP SERVICE.
The bill repeating the $500 appropria.
ton for crop service was reported without
recommendation.
REPORTED FAvORABLY.
Mr.. SORLEY'S, providing that no prop.
erty shall be exempt on judgment for bas-
tardy.
Mr.. DAVIS bill, establishing term Of
court at Fessenden, Wells county.
Repeating special law relating to treas
urer and register of Grand Forks county
Mr.. HANNA'S bill providing penalt,
for removing farm buildings from aban
doned farms.
Fixing salaries of clerks of distric,
courts.
SIMPSONS, providing that Dickinson
shall receive a share of the tireman's tax
ON THIRD READING MONDAY.
House bills Nos. 80, 1877. 1877, 1856, go, 81. "a
al, IS, 50, 106 and 104, and Senate bills Nos
a and IS will come up on third readinf