Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-03-07
By VERY CLOSE VOTE
BILL EMPOWERING GOVERNOR TO
REMOVE OFFICERS KILLED.

Measure Introduced Providing for
Commission System Of Governing
Cities - District Judges Allowed
Travelling and Hotel Expenses.
Bismarck, Feb. 25.-Sorley's bill to
make the governor Of North Dakota a
car has been killed. The proposed
gave the power to the gov
ernor to remove or suspend county
officers for cause and upon the petit
ton of a small number of the voters.
The bill had been reported favorably
by the committee of the whole and
the defeat of the IA was a de-
cided surprise to the author of the
bill, j. A. Sorley, who so much de-
sired to go home and point with pride
to this particular law. The vote on
its passage was, ayes 40, nays Al,
absent and not voting 9. There was a
great deal of changing votes and then
Mr.. Stevens of Burleigh moved to
clinch the vote by which the bill was
killed, demanding a roll call, and even
then a veriication was demanded.
The bill was put to everlasting sleep
with a potion of 40 to As to lay the
motion to reconsider on the table.
The Sorley demurrage bill has been
reported to the house, amended so
that demurrage to both railroad and
consignee of the rate of So per day
takes effect after seventy-two hours,
provided the shipper pays 10 per cent
Of the freight bill in advance.
Measure Governing Cities.
In the senate Mr.. Hanna has intro
duced a bill, and in the house it will
be championed by Mr.. Peake, provid-
ing for the commission system Of gov
erning cities. 1t is to be optional
with cities Of 1000 or over to adopt
its provisions. In a nutshell the COM
mission system means the manage
ment Of a city's business along the
same lines as that of a commercial
enterprise or corporation. Under the
system proposed there will be five
commissioners-one president of the
board of city commissioners and four
city commissioners. The presidents
term is fixed at four years, two of the
commissioners at two years and two
at four years. The commission has
full charge Of the eity's affairs. 1t
makes all appointments in all the de.
partments of the city government.
This commission is authorized to des-
ignate from among their members one
commissioner who shall be known as
police and fire commissioner" an
other who shall be known as com
missioner of streets and public i'm
provements," another as "waterworks
and sewerage commissioner and an
other as Commissioner of finance
and revenue" The house bill intro
duced a day or two ago is No. 269.
Primary Bill Reported.
The house committee on elections
and privileges has reported the senate
primary bill, by Mr.. Sharp, with a few
amendments. The sorley bill, in the
house, was passed last week, but the
majority of the committee seems to
prefer Mr.. Sharp's primary ideas with
one or two minor changes. A change
Is made in regard to the selection of a
candidate for United States senator.
Mr.. Sharp provided that the party re-
ceiving' the highest number of votes
should be deemed the nominee of the
party and legislative candidates were
pledged to vote for that man. The
committees report will require that
the legislator is only required to
pledge himself to vote for the man
who received a majority of his party
vote. In the former way the commit
tee foresaw trouble and conf1iction
where, for instance, there may be
three candidates. The bill also pro-
vides for the selection of a national
committeeman.
The senate committee on appropria-
lions has agreed on the following ap-
preparations for the different educa-
tional institutions: University, $685.
900; agricultural college, $89, 500; Val
ley City normal, $57,563; Mayville nor
NAL, S33,500; reform school, $31, 600:
science school, $36,5O0; blind asylum,
$3S, 200; feeble minded institute, $685.
600; deaf and dumb school, $11, 900,
all of which is in addition to receipts
from their share of the / mill tax.
More Pay for State Officers.
In view of the additional expense
which will entail on different state
officers caused by the abolition of the
railroad passes, which for so long
have been one Of their perquisites, the
legislators are inclined to be liberal in
the way of expense allowance, at
least reasonably so. The house has
passed a bill allowing district court
judges travelling expenses and 50 a
day hotel expenses when outside their
district. The senate appropriations
committee will recommend the allow
nee of $500 a year TO state officers
for travelling expenses in the dis
charge of their official duties.
That there is an air of dissatisfas
FLOW ohor,< houjno tho e%ot1 foir m