The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-03-19
THE GOVERNORS REASONS.

TRANSMIT herewith III. B. 200 Ut the
Fifth Legislative Assembly Of the
state Of North Dakota without my ap.
prOval for the following reasons:
That it materially changes the pro-
htbition law and Is an absolute de-
parture from the pledges and plat
forms made tt the dominant party
since the adoption of the constitution.
1t is my opinion that this enact-
ment. II it becamea law would fall
far short Of its aim, and that it would
entail additional litigation to enforce
the present laws and not increase the
revenues Of cities, counties or state.
In fact this measure is calculated to
do great mischief and little good, and
that this question ought to be deter.
mined by change of the constitu-
tion, II the people So elect, existing
laws providing how this may be nc.
compllshed.
The constitution is the foundation
upon which the superstructure of the
state is erected, and as executive am
bound to protect it. 1t can only be
modified by the vote of the people and
any attempt to evade. change or weak.
en- it must meet my dlsapproval.
Yours respectfully. f. A. BRIaas,
Governor.
Bismarck, March H., 1ss7.-Mr.
Fred Falley, Secretary of State, Bis.
marck, N. D. Dear Sir: have the
honor to hand you herewith H. 3. No.
l2S Of the Fifth Legislative Assembly
Of the State OF North Dakota without
my approval. For the reasons that
prohibition law, framed as it was by
able jurists, every point of vantage
carefully guarded and every technic-
ality carefully eliminated. needs no
apologies made for it at this time, as
is proposed by the bill. Itis sufficient
unto itself. Any tamperiug with this
law is dangerous. II the people of our
great state desire to 0abrogate this law
let the issue be plain; not q make.
shift. and the result be arrived at by
individual ballot; and not delegate to
q legislative assembly authority to In
cumber, weigh down and add to the
machinery Of its enforcement useless
provisions, entaillng delay, heavy ex.
pense, and as believe, no better re-
suits.
There is no fund or appropriation
provided, from which the salary of
the state temperance commissioner
and his deputies can be paid. The
matter Of expense IL absolutely unlim-
tied. II the commissioner and his
deputies so desire they can add any
amount Of expense; there being no
check whatever upon them In this re-
gard, whether their returns are COM
mensurate with the expenditures or
not. The commissioner is not respon-
sible In any way for expenditure which
he may impose upon counties 10 act.
AVu0 QkOoOOuVSu W uSWs WutAO U00
county officers, whose duties and pow
ers are identical with his, are respon.
sible to their constituency.
The provision that said state tenn
perance commissioner shall be vested
with all the powers of the attorney
general, states attorney, sheriffs and
c6nstables and may appear also as an
attorneysin each case. is wholly and
entirely unteneable; must Of necess-
ity interfere with the regularly elect
ed officers, who will not suffer their
prerogatles to be encroached upon,
but will in many instances, resist
such inJerferences, thus adding an
other stumbling block In the way of
enforcing the law and bring about
conditions, in my Judgment, that
would result in the law not being as
we'll enforced as 1T is at the present
time. Yours respectively,
IA. BRIaG, Governor.