The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-02-17
THE LEGISLATURE.
Proceedings of North Dakota's Law
Mill.

Proceedings of North Dal<ota's Law
Mill.
Bismarck, N. d., Feb. Ga concur
rent resolution for q constitutional
amendment was introduced by Senator
Porter ut Saturdays session of the SEN
ate, looking to the assessment and tax
alton of grain grown in the state. The
amendment provides that the legisla-
tive assembly may tax wheat, flax,
oats and barley grown in the state and
stored in elevators or kept for seed, at
rate of not to exceed half q cent
bushel on wheat, the same on fax. q
third of a cent on barley and quarter
of O cent on oats. At present the
grains grown in the state pay practi-
cally no taxes. The millions of BUSH
els of wheat grown in the state are
threshed and disposed of between as
sessments. The rate of a quarter to
half cent bushel, if applied to the
millions of bushels of grain grown in
the state, would produce Il revenue ex-
ceeding S25O,OOO.
Senator McCarten also introduced a
proposed constitutional amendment for
the initiative and referendum in the
state. The proposed amendment pro-
vides that S per cent of the voters may
call for vote on any law passed by
the legislature. 5 per cent may propose
a law and have it voted on at a special
election. and Is per cent may propose
constitutional amendment. The
amendment is not likely to be adopted
by the assembly, as many of the men,
bers prefer to see how the referendum
system operates in states that have
adopted 1t, before experimenting. Sen
ator Little proposed two measures for
which there has been a CALL One of
them provides that counties shall pay
the expenses of transportation of con-
victs to the state penitentiary and pa
tients to the insane asylum, instead of
the state, as at present. This law, if
passed, would transfer an annual eX-
pense of $4,000 to $4,000 from the
state to the counties. The other bill
provides a mandatory tax of not to ex-
coed 5 mills in counties for the purpose
of creating and maintaining fire breaks
and the appointment of fire wardens.
The object of the bill is to prevent the
immense annual losses, particularly in
the stock districts. by prairie fires,
which destroy ranges and even ami
mails in some instances. The senate
passed the Hanna bill making an ap-
preparation for travelling educational
libraries, and amending the law with
relation to teachers institutes and
training schools, as requested by the
state educational association.
The house reconsidered the Allen bill,
granting Individual property rights to
husband and wife, and referred it back
to the committee OH judiciary for fur
Their consideration.
A number of bills were reported on
which no definite action was taken and
they were booked for discussion in
committee of the whole
A resolution was passed. unanimous
ly requesting the states representa-
tives at Washington to secure recogni-
ton in the way of u position from the
government for Gen. Harrison Allen of
Fargo, one of the old Republicans of
the state, in consideration of his long
and faithful service to the party.
The house recommended for passage
the bill making 10 per cent the maxi
mum contract rate for interest, with
an amendment providing for the for
fixture of claim for recovery as pen
atty for accepting higher interest.
Bills introduced in the house were:
Kennedy, to prohibit the use of repeat
ing shotguns in the state; Winton, pri-
mary election law. and Sanford, to pro-
vide for physical culture and calisthen-
les in the high schools of the state.
The senate committee on appropria-
lions decided to recommend for pass
age the Twitchell resolution for the is.
suance of $15O.OOO of certificates Of
indebtedness for the establishment Of
a Irvine plant at the state penitentiary
The committee will also recommend
favorably the bill for an appropriation
to reimburse Gov Devine and the Wild
ow of Gov. Briggs for funds advanced
in the payment of expenses Of the pros
-ecution of the maximum rate case.
Bismarck, N. D.. Feb 7.--If a bill in
troduced by Senator La Moure, father
of the divorce bill that has just been
passed and been approved, becomes a
law there will he two months more III
which residents of other states may
come to North Dakota for the purpose
of establishing residence to take ad-
vantage of the old divorce law. The
bill provides that the provisi) ns of the
now divorce law shall not apply to any
case in which the complaint is filed
with the clerk of the district court
prior to July 1. AS complaints may
be filed after residence of three
months has been established, prospect
i've Divorces who take up their resi-
dence in the state before April will
come under the provisions of the pro-
posed law. as their complaint may be
filed before July 1. Senator La Moure
stated that there was legal question
as to whether divorce proceeding be-
gun in the state before July could be
thrown out because the plaintiff had
not been resident of the state for
twelve months, as provided by the new
law to go into effect on that date. In
order to avoid litigation he said the
proposed law was introduced to ex-
empt from the twelve-month require
ment all cases in which the complaint
was filed by July 1.
A favorable report was made by the
appropriations committee on the pro-
posed issuance of $4,000 certificates
of indebtedness for the establishment
of Irvine plant and for the payment