The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-03-12
JUST ONE RESULT.


1t is, of course, too soon after the
close of the session to properly meas
ure the results of the work done by the
legislature which has just closed. 1t
would be impossible to fix the real
value of the laws which were passed
until there has been sufficient time to
study them in all their ramifications.
When that is done there will in all
probability be many things found
which were not grasped even by the
most painstaking legislator when they
were under consideration. There will
also be found things which will have
a strong bearing on the Interpretation
of these laws which were not brought
to light while they were being framed.
The most interesting feature of the
whole session in all probability is the
initiative and referendum passed in
the last hours by small majority
through the united efforts of the dem
ocrats, the resubmissionists and the
fadists. So far as the law itself is con-
cerned there is nothing in it that
would in any manner give serious
trouble to the people of the state We're
it not for the fact that it opens the
door to the submission of the question
of what is popularity known in this
state as resubmission of the prohibi-
ton provision of the constitution. Dur
ing all the session there had been de-
veloping among the members who were
opposed to the present law determi-
nation to force the matter to an issue.
They recognized the fact that they
could not hope to secure from the leg
islature or from the governor any ia
vorable consideration of the direct SUBJ
mission of the matter and new meth
cd was taken. Early in the session
Representative LELAND of LaMoure
county had introduced concurrent
resolution providing for constitution
al amendment on the initiative and ref
erendum, which permitted, should it
become law, eight per cent of the
people of the state to propose amend
ments to the constitution or to submit
to the people for vote proposed laws
such as are now exclusively enacted
by the legislature, as we'll as amend
ments to the state constitution. The
bill was amended in the house so that
it would not permit the amending of
the constitution. But in the senate
this provision was restored, and in this
condition it was returned to the house.
In the last hours of that body it was
taken up and passed as amended by
the senate, and, with the governors
signature, will become a law.
1t was peculiar combination which
brought about the result. The princi-
pie Of the initiative and referendum
was one of the strong planks of the
democratic platform adopted by that
party at Minot last year, and is one of
the inheritances of the party from it's
late allies, the populists. 1t was there
fore certain in advance that not only
would the democratic members of the
house work and vote for the bill on
principle, but the governor, who was
elected as democrat on the very
platform which advocated the law,
would be forced to either repudiate his
part or sighn the bill.
In addition to this, an initiative and
referendum club had been in existence
at Valley City for months and was
composed of number of the rank po-
litical reformers for which that place
is noted, and they brought all the in
fiuence they could to bear on the pass
age of the bill. 1t was pet scheme
of the present political crowd which
predominates in that city.
Then there were the resubmission-
fists. who have been fighting ever since
the present provision was placed in
the constitution, who were willing to
Join hands with anyone who would aid
them in securing the coveted prize.
The combination was thus composed of
the democrats, the followers of the
Valley City school of politics and the
resubmissionists.. There were thirty of
The latter, twelve democrats and thir-
teen devotees of the initiative and ref
club. and these made the total
'ote which put the resolution before
he people of the state.
The concurrent resolution will have
o be submitted to the next legislature,
md. IL passed by that body, it will ]