The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-07-29

they did not represent all the voters
of the county.
i In fact if the petition had represent
ed every voter in the county except
| "Wardwell'' he alone would still have
had some legal, moral and social rights
in the premises which are guaranteed
by both the cons titution of the United
States and the state of North Dakota
But in this case while these papers howl
about the efforts to prevent the right
of the people to express themselves by
ballot" they contradict themselves by
refusing to allow the minority any
rights whatever-euen the right of free
speech in conde,nning a most grevious
wrong. This minority of two-ffths of
| the qualified voters of the county, &C
cordlhg to these papers, have no rights
legal or otherwise in the expenditure of
a possible s25O,0o0 of county moaey
except to keep their mouths shut and
pay rwo-fifths of the taxes. Might is
right with the editors but perhaps they
will learn later that doctrine has long
passed away and has been changed to
1right is might
Some of these papers and attorney
Bangs quote the law which reads as
follows If the petition is signed by
QUALIFIED ELECTORS equal IN
number to at least three tifths of all the
votes cast in the county at the last
general election, the board must at
the next general election submit the
question of removal to the electors of
the county" Mr.. Bangs and the
papers referred to, insist that this law
says that the county board shall forth
with and without investigation i'm
mediately order an election, their only
duty being to accept the signatures on
their face, count them and order the
election.
Now, anybody that can read common
English can read the above with atbe
understanding" just as we'll as any
lawyer. There isn't.a word in it that
says the county board must act forth
with. There isn't word in it forbid
ding investigation.
On the contrary the law does say
'IF". Attorney Bangs and his news
paper brethren could only find the
word "Must," and that word refers to
future time "at the NEXT general cleo
tion." The little word of two letters
was too small for them to see. And yet,
in this case, that diminutive sign of the
subjnnctive mood, that always implies
doubt whether in law or elsewhere used,
embraced the views and wishes of at
least more than one tboNsand taxpayers.
But the clause "IF xIGNED BY
THREE.F1FTHS OF The QUAIL
FLED ELECTORS" had no significance
to the attorney for the petitioners, had
40 fonee on the county board,
and there;ar no spectaclas made with
sufficient 'magnifying power to make
the editor fellows see it.
Attorney Bangs, argued and the board
accepted his.statement that they had
no power to hear testimony and the
editors echo that same fool doctrine.
That is the excuse given Why they
would not allow any one who opposed
the petition to even look at the thing,
and would not give them even one
minute to glance at it.
We say it is fool doctrine for the
reason that everyone knows that in any
other case the county board would not
only be willing but anxious to get all
the testimony possible. In fact il the
petition is SO complete, 80 immaculate,
then sll that the opposition could have
possibly done was to strengthen it. An
honest man fears no investigation. It
is coward's act to hide. I.. ,|,
As matter Of fact, the county board
spend about nine-tenths OF their time st
every session in receiving and obtaining
Testimony on almost every subject that
comes before them. They could not
act sensibly or intelligently else. Many
times they spend far more hours in
looking up tho merits d some bill 81
perhaps Ave or tsn dollars than they
|ssve to tie counting 81 tho ninsteen
hundred names q ) petition that, calls
lor the expsnditn \. of certainly q oyer
el01 600 md nay rsash 116o po0
u But attsf ~ this hhaprsw# n a,opt