Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1909-02-19

too expensive. that people in one part
Of the state have little opportunity to
learn the real worth or merits Of can.
didates living in another part Of the
state and that q convention system.
properly safeguarded. with a possible:
referendum to the people. would bring
about better nominations, would more
nearly insure party integrity and
would not make campaigning for nom.
tnation nearly AZ expensive 40 now.
i. +
All Of the present members Of the
legislature and state officers have
campaigned for Office under the exist.
ing law and few Of them are satisfied
with its provisions. It 10 admitted that
90 far AZ county and legislative Offices
are concerned the districts are com.
paratively small and candidates may
have personal acquaintance all
through their district. In the state
at large such a thing Is hardly posi-.
Bile. The White bill. introduced two
years ago by Representative White
Of Trail county and reintroduoed at
this session, will probably be the
basis for any legislation that is at.
tempted. There Is some opposition to
changing any Of the principles Of tho
present dtrect primary law. but that
Is likely to give way to the insistent
demand for system Of nominations
that shall be less cumbersome, less
expensive and less destructive OF
party entity than the present law.
!. /. +
The initiative and referendum has
occupied good share Of the attention
Of the two houses for the past few
days. After killing the Iceland bill.
providing for direct legislation and
for direct proposal and referendum Of
constitutional amendments, the house
subsequently killed the Skulason bill.
providing for direct legislation with.
out reference to constitutional amend.
ments. This bill was subsequently
resurrectcd and in the meantime the
bill of Senator Plain, providing for
referendum without reference to con.
stitutional provisions. was reported
back favorably to the upper house.
When the bill came up for final pas
sage Senator Simpson Of Stark county
made fight for the inclusion Of the
constitutional provisions, which are
bitterly opposed by the ultra prohibit
tionists of the state for the reason
that such law would permit the re-.
submission of the prohibition law
Senator Simpson argued on the floor
that the people were safe to be trust
ed with the matter Of constitutional
amendments ard that no bill should
deny to any part of the people any
rights that were granted to any other
part Of the people. After an extended
argument the Simpson amendment
was adopted by vote of ~ to 20 and
tho bill was passed. It has been sent
to the house and It Is safe to say that
no referendum bill will pass that does
not include the constitutional provi.
sion.
!. 4! 1.
The public utility bills, giving city
councils the right to fix rates for cleo.
trio lights, gas, water and other public
utilities, have been before committees
Of the two houses, but no final agree.
ment has been reached. The Near.
thur bill. giving the commissioners Of
railroads power to fix maximum tel
ephone rates and enforce telephone
connections, is being bitterly opposed
by the telephone companies in the
state, Of which there Is large mum.
Der of farmers and private lines
that would come within the provisions
Of the bill. Franchise holders through
the state are also opposing vigorously
the Duis bill to give city councils the
right to fix maximum rates. It is
claimed that such legislation would
enable political councils and other
bodies to work harm to the invested
interests in the cities and towns of
the state and that it would retard the
growth and development Of the state
by making capital doubtful about In.
/ vcstmenta.
The supreme court handed down q
decision the middle Of the week deny.
ing the writ of prohibition and also
the writ of quo warranto asked for
in the Poole-Peake case. The effect
Of this decision was to permit the
courtmartial that was trying Poole to
proceed and it concluded its labora
and handed its findings to the gov
ernor. The defense put In no testi.
mony. relying merely on the testimony