Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-03-04
THE Personal INJURY BILL
Continued from first page.)

recommended the bill for indefinite
postponement. and Mr.. McGahan
moved as a substitute that the bill be
placed upon its third reading and final
passage. Mr.. McGahan said that he
wanted to go on record in favor OF
the bill as a reform measure. He had
supported a number of reform meas
ures this session and thought that this
was as radical a reform as had yet
been proposed. He said that Abraham
Lincoln. about whom so much has been
said within the past few weeks. ad-
vocated a government of the people. a
government by the people and a gov
eminent for the people, and he de-
clared that this measu meant just
that. Among other assertions made by
Mr.. McGahan he said that the bill had
been in operation in South Dakota for
five years and it had not been found
necessary to carry out the provisions
of the measure and vote on any bill
that had been passed by the legisla-
ture. He took this as an indication
that the legislature was more careful
in the enactment of laws under the
initiative and referendum plan than
they would be otherwise. He denied
that it was a resubmission measure.
leech Objects.
Mr.. Leech stated that the initiative
and referendum was the foundation
stone on which populism was founded.
and said that he did not blame Mr..
McGahan and others from trying to
make monkeys of the republicans
through efforts made to secure the
passage of a measure, which. the
speaker said. he would oppose if he
was the only republican to record his
vote against it.
Van Arnam's Speech.
Mr.. Van Arnam. who has made a
number of thrilling speeches in the
house during the present session. said
that he was sorry that politics had
been mentioned in connection with
this Or any other measure. as it was
the first time that party lines had
been drawn on any bill before the
house. Mr.. Van Arnam said that he
did not believe that the rights of the
people should be killed by any com
mittee, and said that the initiative
and referendum was one Of ehe funda-
mental principles Of the government
whose great success depends largely
on the amount of liberty given the
people in the enactment of laws and
the conduct of that government. The
sneaker said that he did not care TO,
the narrow confines of a politica'
party. but he did care for the people
OF North Dakota. who have put the
present members here to enact thei]
laws. Personally he did not vote fol
narty's sake but would be able to 20
back and ask them how they liked hi.
work. without any fear of helm,
charged with not doing his duty. VI,
favored h bill as a measure of reform
that would be beneficial.
Roll Call Questioned.
Mr.. Richmond desired to be recorded
as being opposed to the initiative ant
referendum. and a vote was taken OF
the substitute of Mr.. McGahan to tn,
recommendation OF the steering com
mittee. and Speaker Baker announced
that the substitute was lost by a vot,
of 40 to AZ. The roll call of the clerl
did not correspond with the other rol
calls that were kept in the house, an,
its correctness was questioned. Fol
lowing a recess it was found that tn
clerk had made an error and that tn
substitute had carried by a vote O
40 to AZ. This was not announced b
the speaker. but Mr.. McGahan CAV