The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1908-10-06
Why The UELAND
BILL IS OPPOSED
GRAND FORKS MINISTER SAYS
ENFORCEMENT LEAGUE oP-
POSES MEASURE NOT BECAUSE
OF REFERENDUM BUT BECAUSE
OF MOTIVE AND METHOD.

To The Forum: The average inde-
pendent voter who is familiar with the
non partisan, or, perhaps it would be
better to say, the inter-party charac-
ter Of the State Law Enforcement
Leagues membership, is entitled to
know just why this influential organi-
zation is opposed to the So called
Ueland bill. 1t is because the measure
Is said to provide for an initiative and
referendum amendment to the consti-
tuition of North Dakota? No, the
league, as such, is not prosecuting a
campaign against the referendum
theory of government, but rather
against the motive and method Of this
movement as displayed in the text of
the Ueland resolution, the history of
its passage before the tenth legisla-
tive assembly, and the arguments OF
its supporters.
The North Dakota Law Enforcement
League opposes the Ueland resolution
because 1t makes 1t very easy for the
enemies Of prohibition to wage bi-en-
nial war upon that provision in the
constitution or the statutes. As 1t
stands now, in order to submit the
question of prohibition to a vote of the
people, resubmission resolution must
be passed upon favorably by two con-
secutive sessions of the legislature.
This method of referendum makes it
difficult for the friends of the liquor
traffic to get their cause before the
people; for, should such resolution
pass successfully one session, 1t is
likely that the friends OF prohibition
will arise, agitate the subject, and Sc
cure the election of representatives
who will go down to the next session
and defeat it. The advantages are all
on the side of the great mass of the
voters who are wholly satisfied with
the retention of the present law.
Under the provision of the Ueland bill,
however, this situation would be re-
versed and the agents of the liquor in
terests would be furnished with an
easy resubmission method. They could
have their cause considered in one
form or another every two years by
the entire voting population of the
state. The resolution provides that
not more than eight per cent of the
voters at the last general election may
petition for the submission of any con-
stitutional or statutory provision to the
vote of the people. And, while 1t also
says that the same question shall not
be voted on oftener than twice in ten
years-once at each end of the period
lit does not say that any and all
phases Of that question may not be
taken up at the will of an interested
eight per cent or less Of the voters
at any and all general elections. This
provision is calculated to give aid and
A..
and quiet elements of our society, but
to the brewery and distillery inter-
ests of the country which are so anx
ious to exploit North Dakota as bust
ious to exploit North Dakota as a
business field.
Defectiveiy Drawn.
The league opposes the Ueland reso-
luton, because it believes the measures
are drawn in defective manner that
its language Is ambiguous and capa-
BILE of various interpretations. Even
its supporters differ among themselves
in explaining what some of its phrases
mean. For instance, what is the sig
nificance of this sentence, And not
more than eight per cent Of the legal
voters shall be required to propose
Does that empower the legislature,
when 1t shall construct the election
machinery of this amendment, to make
anything from one-half of one per cent
up to eight per cent suffice for settling
the law making power of the electoral
vote of the state in motion? The Ok
lahoma constitution, so often cited as
a model, says that legislative measures
may be proposed by eight per cent and
teen per cent of the legal voters.
The league opposes the Ueland reso-
tuition because 1t believes that It is the
product of minds which have little
care or respect for the excellent laws
We now have, only an absorbing de-
sire to be doing something new and
practically untried, willing TO sacrifice
anything however valuable, in the in
terest Of their pet idea. What do they
ask Of the people of North Dakota?
Suppose the enactment of this Ueland
resolution does require the relinquish-
ment of your present prohibition law,
give 1t up willingly to get the referen-
dunn. Yield your ground OF battle for
law enforcement and commence fight
ing again to hold the principle now
secured. Go back twenty-one years
and begin again to build up the struc-
ture of law you now possess.
Weapon In Hand of "Antis.r
The league opposes the Ueland reso-
luton because 1t turns the attention OF
our people from law enforcement TO