Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1907-02-28
rne LEGISLATURE.
Bismarck, Feb. %.

legislative assembly OF Norm DahOta
is almost here Only nine working
days remain after today. There is
great deal of important legislation not
yet completed. First in point OF i'm
pOrtance Is probably the statewide
primary election law Final action on
this measure will, however, soon be
taken. 1t will be remembered, as here
tofore stated in these columns, that a
primary bill was introduced in the
senate by Mr. Sharpe and another by
Mr.. Sorley in the house. The house
committee on privileges and elections,
of which the Emmons county repre-
sentative is member, went carefully
over the two bills, making a large
number of amendments, and finally
agreed to recommend the Sharpe
bill for passage. This was with the
entire approval OF Mr.. Sorley, who
recognized the fact that Senator
Sharpe was pioneer in advocacy OF
the primary law, and was entitled to
the honor of having the measure
known by his name. Practically all
of the amendments made by the house
to the Sharpe bill will, it is believed,
prove Acceptable to the senate, and
the amended bill will be adopted by
both houses this week.
The referendum bill of MIR. LELAND
has not yet been passed upon by the
senate. In that body the Plain bill on
the same subject seems to be the
most popular. In case the upper body
should insist on the measure fathered
by Senator Plain, 1t is doubtful wheth-
er referendum bill of any kind will
pass at this session.
AS heretofore stated, bill repeal
ing the present herd law has been In
troduced by Mr.. Stevens in the house
The present law allows stock to run
at large during December, January,
February and March in all the coun-
ties OF the state. But there is county
option provision to the statute The
county commissioners are allowed to
order that at any regular election the
question Of repeal of the law may be
submitted to the voters. The bill in
trOduced in the house reverses this
proceeding and. as Steve says,
places the burden of proof on the
man who owns the stock In other
words, the bill proposes to make own.
ers of stock all over the state keep
up their stock all through the year or
be responsible for any damage they
may do, but allows the people of any
county to vote ON the question of set
ting the law aside in their county and
returning to the law that prevails at
the present time.
A bill limiting contract rates of in
terest to 10 per cent passed the house,
but died in the senate. The idea of
those who have given the matter most
consideration is that the law of supply
and demand comes pretty near to COW
ering the item of money as it does
the items of prlnes and potatoes, and,
like many other restrictive statutes, in
practice 1t reacts ON those whom it is
intended to benefit.
The "old familiar face of the Tor.
rens land-title system was seen in the
senate early in the session; but it has
apparently not met with the generous
reception expected. and it is doubtful
whether it will be forced to the front
during the few remaining days of the
session One of the chief objections
to this measure Is the provision COM
pelling homesteaders who might prove
up after the proposed law went into
effect to place their land under the
operation of the Torrens act. This
would be matter of considerable ex-
pense to a class of people who are
not generally in such financial con-
dition as to be able to spend money
for things that are not absolutely ne.
cessary
When the members of the legisla.
ture met and began to talk over mat.
tiers one with the other they found
that the inspector feature of the home.
stead law was working serious hard
ship all over the state. In every land
district hundreds of claims are being
held up month after month-even wear
after year-on the mere say-so of
some irresponsible inspector sent out
by the general land-ofiice. This class
OF men Is neither better nor worse
than the average man who holds Of
nee. They know, Of course, that if
they fail to do business they will be
considered as lazy or incompetent and
will soon be out of a job. Hence they
become abnOrmally active in "discov.
ering frauds" When settler has a
piece of decided land he can only lose
1t after careful and fair considera
ton of his case in the courts. But tn,
one who is SO unfortunate as to hav,
not yet received his patent deed
from the government is in an entirel,
different class. He may have con
piled in good faith with the laws il
force when he filed ON his land. IL
may have made better Improvement
and more continuous residence tina
his neighbor who purchased decide
land. What Of that? Along comes a
inspector eager to make showing {