The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1909-02-04

before the court for two days and in
the meantime the proceedings of the
were suspended.
!. i. +
The matter of appropriations has
been somewhat assisted by the de.
cision of the supreme court in the
case brought to test the validity of
The law that required counties to pay
e100 a year to the insane asylum fund
for the maintainance of each of their
own patients. This bill was passed
two years ago and under its provisions
between $150,000 and 100000 was
paid into the state treasury. Some of
the counties paid under protest and ;;
case was brought by Cass county,
which refused to pay, to test the con-
stitutionality Of the law. The su-
preme court holds that such legisla-
tion is within the power Of the legis-
lature and that the counties must pay.
The decision mesps considerable in.
crease In the available revenues Of
the state and in the amount that the
legislature can with safety appropri.
ate for various purposes.
i +
The bill to prohibit the infliction Of
the death penalty in the state has
been killed by the senate committee
on judiciary. There were several ar
guments in the committee on the bill,
but the committee finally. decided
against 1t, largely on the ground that
juries are now required to fix the
punishment, as between death and
life Imprisonment, and that the death
penalty is not necessarily inevitable.
The report of the committee was
adopted by the senate and the bill
finally disposed of.
i. j.
Senator diversion has a bill to re-
quire druggists to publish by posted
list monthly list of the purchasers
of liquor for medicinal purposes, the
disease for which purchased and the
number of purchases. II the bill re.
pealing the druggists permits should
fail to pass 1t is believed this bill
will have salutary effect in prevent
ing the abuse of the druggists permit
law.
i. !. f.
There was a lively debate in the
senate over the request of the peni.
tentiary investigating committee for
authority to employ counsel aside
from the attorney general. Senator
Pierce of the committee stated that
the attorney general had informed
the committee that he was too busy
to undertake the work with the as
sistance and funds at his command
After considerable discussion the res
olution authorizing the committee tc
employ counsel was passed. Senator
Pierce has been chosen as chairman
Of the committee and It's investiga
tions will begin Immediately after the
recess re- =
The railroad commissioners present
ed a special report to the Legislature
in the course of the week. They state
that they cannot do the work expect
ed Of them unless the legislature pro
vides funds and they state that past
commissions have been Handicapped
because not sufficient funds are pro
vided. They ask for q rate clerk
grain and elevator inspectors. com
petent persons to pass upon inspec
tion of grain at terminal markets
laws for the more rigid supervision o.
elevators In the state, laws to give
the commissioners authority to past
upon, applications for the right K
build new lines in the state and for {
number Of other matters Of lesisla
ton. The special report was present
ed to: the legislature through tho gov
ernor and the commissioners say tha'
unless they are provided with more
funds they will have to confins theil
work to the ordinary routine Of tn.
once.
-s,rs,'ae aees.5aa-es:s-s 4. I. 4. ,s.,er.ss
b. Another investigation: has beenspre
sented in the house calling for an in
quiry into the manner Of depositint
state funds from the once Of the stat,
treasurer. The failure Of the And!
Jones banks in Pierce county brough
out the charge that more funds wer,
deposited in them than they wert
designated for by the state board o.
repositories. The whole matter viii
be probed II the resolution passes
both houses. It is now In the house
state affairs committee.
+ +
Several good roads bills have beel
presented in, line with public senti
ment in the state. Senator Crane ha,
q comprehensive bill repeating man!
sections Of the present law, creating
the Offices Of county and township
supervisors of roads and providing fol
the Systematic and careful expendi
ture Of road. funds.
+ 4. I.
A number of special appropriation
bills have been presented in the sen
ate. One of them is to pay the lat
temperance commissioner, George
Murray, for his services for two
months before the supreme court abol
ished his office and another is to pa!
T. r. Shaw for his services as secre
tary of the state capitol commission
which. was knocked out by the su
preme court.
+ + 4.
The bill presented by Congressman
Marshall in congress to separate th'
title to hOmesteads as between Goa
veins and the arabic surface is op
posed by the legislature and q con
current resolution has been passet
directing the representatives of tn
state to oppose the passage Of thi'