The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-03-09
THE TWELFTH
LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The twelfth legislative session Is
now matter of history. The last
speech has been spoken; the las.
conference held; the last vote taken,
and the members have gone to their
respective homes to enjoy peace and
quiet after the sixty days of more or
less strenuous effort. This session
was especially noted because new
political force was at the helm ana
the entire state watched with no little
degree of interest the every day pro
ceedings, and will measure, with no
little degree Of care, the final re-
suits. Perhaps no legislative session
ever convened with public sentiment
SO thoroughly crystalized along GER
tain lines of legislation and more
especially that pertaining to the poll
tical side of our life. For four years
the state has witnessed political
contention of the two wings of the
republican party known as stalwart
and progressive relative to the Wis
dom or lack Of it, on matters OF state
and national legislation. AS result
of this contention, public sentiment
throughout the state was unusually
we'll informed and because Of this
knowledge and belief, both the SEN
ate and house was in the hands OF
those who represented the progress
sive idea in political affairs. The
platform under which the campaign
was fought out in the fall was pro-
gressive one and the results OF the
character of legislation Of the session
just closed are largely progressive
in character. l think it is both just
and fair to say that for the first
time In the history of the state plat
form pledges have been faithfully
kept and the promises faithfully full
filed. Stalwarts as we'll as Progress:
sives participated in bringing abou'
this constructive legislation demand.
ed by the platform. Personally,
consider this the most important and
complimentary statement that could
be made regarding the session just
closed.
Nearly nine hundred bills were in
troduced and about three hundred be-
came laws. The number of these
bills will serve to show the volume
and the character of the work legis-
lative members waded through with.
in period Of sixty days or more
strictly speaking forty days OF actual
legislative labor as there are always
ad1ournments that materially lessen
the number of actual working days.
Legislation that has passed touched
every phase of the states life, edu
cational, political, railroad financial
agricultural, and legal. Much of it IL
Of far reaching character. Especi'
ally, is this tue as to the political
and railroad legislation?
In the matter of the political char
actar of the legislation, bills have
passed relative to initiative, referen
DUN and recall This is far reach
ing step and will test fully the mea
sure OF the intelligence of the people
Of the state regarding all elections
that are to be held in the future
should they by endorsement OF the
people become laws?
Railroad Legislation Is equally of 9
notable character. An anti-pass bill
which has been an issue in the state
for six years has at last become
law. The bill is good one, only
q few exceptions are made and these
wisely, namely, those engaged in fur
thering the agricultural and indust
rial interests of the state and applies
to farmers institutes and those EN-
ployed in the geological investigation
Of our mineral resources. The board
OF railroad commissioners have beer
given greater power to carry out the
duties for which they were createt
I and have been given control not onl,
over railroads, but also over tele
graph and telephone companies. Al
the state developes, this new phase
Of their work will become more and
more an important function.
might add as an addition to th'
political legislation that the presen
primary law has been amended u
several particulars. All Of thes'
amendments add to the strength an
efficiency Of the law. There will b
: first and second choice % Ito candi
dates. The percentage for nomina
tion or candidates has been changet
from thirty to TWENTY-FIVE per cent
and has been % worded as 70 make !
constitutional. 4 corrupt practic