Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1905-02-03
Editorial Correspondence.

LulLOEtdl correspondence
Bismarck. Feb. I. 1905.
Since my last letter both houses Of
the legislature have been doing mare
business than during any previous
week uf the session. The committees
have been hard at work and the bills
considered by them have been prompt
~ reported and acted upon by the
houses.
The bill for terms of court in EN-
mons ecu uety in May and October Of
each ear and for raising the fees Of
witnesses from 81 to 81 I; day lave
passed Tile house and gone to the SEN
ate. The terms.uf-court bill had one
vote against it in the house. The vote
WAS u mistake, hnwever. 1t was cast
by Cumrade Johnson, Of Richland
county, who, owing IT, the poor acuuS-
Tic properties of the house, had not
distinctly heard the bill read when On
third reading aud final passage, and
Thought it was a different bill. The
viii nes>.fe fee bill passed unanimously.
House Bill M. %, introduced by
MIR. Ellison, of La Muure county, re.
lates 'n deputies and clerks for county
auditors, county treaSurers, county
>uperin,cndtnts and registers of deeds
in counties having assessed valuatio ions
of two millions or over. 1t gives Il
deputy 10 each OF these officials, his
SALARY to be nl,e-half the salary If his
principal. This bill is not satisfactory
tn most nf the members OF the COM
mltlee on State affairs, who have ap.
pointed Il subcommittee of three, of
| which :he writer is /; member, to
draw up a new bill in lieu of tile old
| one. The prvisi,ns uf the substitute
Dill allow deputy for the register of
deeds for the entire year; u,ie tD the
auditor for the months of July, Aug
usl, september aud October, and one
10 lie treasurer during the msnths of
November, December, January aud
February. The provision for county
uperiltendent's deputy will not APP
pear in The new bill, as many uf the
S'iprrinleHdrnts of the cnumties lav-
ing !. tax valuation within IL million
'ur so-above The figures named in the
bill say they can do all the work them
selves. The bill does not lake from
the county commissioners the right 10
provide for ,lle hiring of any addition
al help required in the various county
offices. Here n Bnrleigh county aud
in several either counties 1T the stat e
Complaints are being made that pub-
Tic business is suffering through tie
neglect of-llle county board to provide
SutficicnL help To do the w"lk.
House Bill No. 5, raising the salary
of dis' ricl judges 81 900 year-f,om
$500 ln 81 500 a year-get ting around
The constitutional provision that a
district judges salary cannot be in.
creased by allowing the present judges
$1,000 a wear for expenses-came up
Wednesday of last week and was in.
deti;,i'ely postponed by Il vote Of 65
to 81.
The rect-primary bill was intro.
duced in the senate and lluCse, Fri
day. 1t is tile bill agreed upon by tile
committee of twenLy-ule lluuse and
senate members. and unanimously in-
dulsrd by Tile friends Of the primary
election system at a meeting held last
Thursday night in Grand Army Hall,
about ninety senators and representa-
Lves being present. A determined
tight is beiug made against the bill;
but, at Tile present writing 1t seems
TO be sure ui success.
4 There is a large preponderance OF
farmers iif,le present session OF The
/ legislature. They appear Il, be IL solid,
substantial, reliable bndy OF men
pinud nf The rapid advances their
State is making; willing To provide
,Ibelaliy Tor every necessary officer
aud every necessary institution and
undertaking, bul delcrmi,mdly set
agaitIst the spending uf the public
I; money in The way OF raising salaries
already sufficiently high, or making
J. new positions Llie necessity OF which
/ is questionable.
I'D ~ *