Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-02-25
OUR BISMARCK BUDGET
Late News From Our North Dakota
Law Makers at Bismarck
For This Week


U. have been in the city for several
days interested in different matters
before the legislature. They have sue
ceeded in getting through an anti-cis-
arctic bill. presented in the senate by
Senator LaMoure. and which has
passed both houses. They have also
secured the recommendation and
passage Of a bill by the senate pro-
hibiting public drinking ii linuors Oh
railroad trains and a number OF other
measures have had thor c%onsidera-
ton. The senate committed on tenn
perance mas reported an entirely new
bill on the subiecr OF drleeists' per
mits to sell Intoxicating liquors, which
has been the subject Of much com
ment and discussion. For a number
OF years the leading nrohibiti9nists OF
fhe state have opposed the PROPOSE
ton to repeal the drug permit law.
1t is realized that the law has led to
many violations of the prohibition law
and there is a general disposition to
tighten the matter mp. The prohibit
ton leaders have also been fighting
the proposed initiative with reference
to constitutional amendments and
have finally succeeded in getting the
mouse to pass an initiative bill with
out the constitutional amendment
clause.
!. = j.
The state fair fight is over. The
house killed the bill proposing to To-
cate the state fair permanently at
Fargo and has also killed the bills to
locate the fair at Devils Lake and
jamestown. The Fargo bill was the
n in which there was the most in.
terest and it. was killed after there
was much fervid oratory on the part
OF the representatives of Fargo and
Grand Forks, There is another Fargo
state fair bill i'm tho senate, intro
dnced by Senator Kennedy. and which
mas e held mp pending the action
Of the house. II has o been sent
to committee and will take it's course,
but there is little reason TO believe
the house will chang" it's attitude.
:. Il :.
The "czar" bill. introduced by Sor-
lie OF Traill and which was designed
to give the governor power to remove
county officials. was killed by the
house after some heated speeches
The bill was strongly endorsed by the
governor i'm his message as proper
legislation looking to the better en-
forcement of the prohibition law. Ii
a been claimed that some sheriffs
and states attorneys in the state were
lax IN their efforts to enforce the pro
hlnllory law because of the sentiment
or their communities and that a law
giving the governor power to remove
them would make for the better en-.
forcement of the law. The bill was
bitterly opposed by SkuIason of Grand
FORKS as unconstitutional and AS Old
posed to the principal of local self.
government. Sorlie and DOYLE of Eos.
ter supported the bill and Skulason
n Streeter of EImmons opposed if
on the floor. The motion to indeh.
hltely postpone the bill carried by a
viva Voce vote and the measure is
dead Tor the session. The same hill
was killed two years ago.
= :. :.
The telephone franchise and rate
regulation bill went back to the com.
Ilitlee on judiciary of the senate after
pelns reported o of the state aft
1alrs committee with majority and mi.
norlty reports. the majority report fa-
Voring the killing of the bill. The fun
crew Dill, presented on behalf of rail
road tralnmen of the state and de.
signed 10 compel the EMPLOYMENT Of
d agma for every freight train of
lorty cars or more, went back to the
committee on railroads. The city util.
lty bill, designed to give city councils
inc right to fix rates for public sery.
ice charges, also went back to the
Judiciary committee, after being
amended to refer only to gas charges.
lhere is a question as to the consti.
t%utlonality of the bill as amended and
Inc judiciary committee will report on
the bill as amended.