The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1909-04-29
Gov. Folk AS A Graft Killer
PSpar Missouri Executive Gives Noteworthy Address at
q # Opera House Saturday Mig eht-Hs Views on Com
sS# mission Covesnuaent Free Passes, Initiative
@ and Referendum, Etc.

ndum, Etc.
free passes, aad still retain their
Independence. The Missouri leBislat-
ors may have arrived at this stage of
perfection, but the Governor does not
know those from North Dakota very
we'll. ...
The Commission System Of Govern
ment.
The governor touched briefly up
on the commission system OF govern
ment % practiced in q number of the
more important cities, and says tha,
this form of government is being
agitated all over the country. He is
heartily in favor of it. The system
is such that each commissioner is
responsible for certain kind OF
wsrk, and much more for the general
welfare can be accomplished than
under the old council system.
Gambling.
The public looks loon gambling In
all of its forms in a manner different
fron that which it used to. The
Louisiana lottery which was once
thought to be all right, has passed
away. Gambling is done now more
and more behind closed doors. The
race track gambling in some states,
Missouri, and New York, notably, has
been done away with. There is a
law in Missouri which makes 1t a
felony to post bets at a race meeting
When Folk was governor. he enforced
the law strictly, and one racing asso-
citation closed the sates and posted
the sign: Owing to the tynannical
act e tynannicaa governor, this
race, track has been closed indefinite
IT," :sna 1t was never opened there
after.
The governor has seen continual
stream Of young men sent to the pen
iteauary, many for stealing, embezz-
Ting, ETC., and they got their down.
ward start thru losing money at the
races, and the state was party to
the crime, in accepting licenses.
Liquor Traffic.
The governor saya chat If the OIL
cials desire, the liquor laws can De
enforced. There is general apathy
towards enforcing such laws, and he
says it is really hard to enforce them,
on account of the influence that
those men WELD. So many are inter-
ested. in some way or another.
Should Remove Officials.
The governor believes that each
state should have law, giving the
governor Of the states, power to re-
neve from Office any states attorney
or any sheriff, who does not do his
duty. Such officers can then be
excused for enforcing the law strict
", and their friends will not dare to
ask them to overlook certain individu-
ala.
Initiative and Referendum.
Missouri has an initiative and a
referendum law, which the governor
says is good thing. Missouri's mi
itiative law is like this: Eight per
cent of the voters Of two-thirds OF the
legislative districts, may petition for
a new law, which at the following
general election, will be voted upon.
II at that time, majority Of all the
voters. vote in favor OF such a law, 1t
becomes one of the laws. The
voters may petition in the same man
ner, to have any law already on the
statutes, referred to the people.
Primary Election Law.
Missouri has a primary election
law, which the governor. says 10 I'M
perfect, and yet it is much better
than the old convention system. The
people have had a taste Of the law,
and will never be satisfied to go back
to the old convention system. The
bosses can still get In tl.eir work, to
a certain extent, but not like they
used to.
The address was right to the point.
and 90 opportune for North Dakota
in the present day. Tho governor
has been thru the mill, he was gov
ernor for four years durink tho most
exciting period. whom many wealthy
men were sent to prison. He said
dat the corporate influences and
rtsnav had been responsible for his
defeat for the senate last year. but
said that hs would never gtvs up.
A. ',ng rs he had the powe OF
eaeessh = ,rlold Y fnrst awaken
ias u public coasoisaes. - = ~
enl right would win. D