Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-03-09
LEGISLATURE
ENDS SESSION
Great Rush OF Work During the
Closing Hours.
COWAN TRIAL ON MARCH %
Date Set by Senate When Articles oil
impeachment Were Brought in
From the House.

lar IN the nlgnt n long alter the
midnight hour the North Dakota as
sembly completed it's legislative work.
Amid confusion hat was seemingly
rampant everywhere a large number
of new laws We're passed. Direct
election of national committeeman,
party choice for candidates for presi-
dent and vice president and direct
election of delegates to the national
convention are features provided in
n OF the most important bills passed
during the session. Amendments to
the state game and fish board of on
troll bill we're finally agreed to and
presented to the governor for his sig
nature. Legislative apportionment
was pulled through successfully, with
a senate vote Of so and a Louse vote
of 112 members.
= :. X
March % is the date set by the
senate for the trial of John F. Cowan,
judge OF the Second judicial district.
The date was fixed when the articles
OF impeachment, prepared by the
board of managers, were filed with
the senate. The board of manager
will act as the prosecuting body, hav-
ing the power to engage counsel and
to perform all other acts in f%urthering
the states case. The articles of i'm
parchment received the approval of
the house a short time before the
were read in the senate. In the arti-
cles OF impeachment eight separate
charges are set forth embodying
crimes and corrupt conduct in office.
malfeasance of Office, etc, and the
specifications set forth between eighty
Il ninety distinct instances upon
which it is ccntended that he has laid
himself liable to Impeachment.
:. :. =
Out of the grist mill in the house
have come with safety Talcott's game
bill, amending the present game and
fish board Of control law, 1t has been
amended by the house to retain con-
troll OF spring shooting. Rural school
aid, fought for so many years, is at
last a reality, having passed both
bodies. Corrupt practice legislation
was approved by the house in an en-
tlrely new bill replacing the Bosses
sen measure passed by the senate.
Inc senate c%oncurred and the law
goes to the governor.
= !. >.
Kennedy's full weight bill on lard
and bread, Duncan's bill for assistant
dairy commissioner, Talcott's frearm
forfeiture measure and Welch's meas
ure empowering the school and uni
versity lands board to investigate into
the extent of Ignite coal in public
lands, were among those passed by
the house and which will become law.
Appropriation bills from the senate
were rushed through the house as
rapidly as the roll could be called. It
took less than an hour to approximate
$1,000
+ I. =
Bakers bill creating a bird preserve
at Devils Lake, Plains state hail in
surance department measure, Thorn
tons measure creating a revolving
fund out OF the proceeds of the twine
plant, with the ultimate view of estab.
fishing a farm implements factory at
the p~enitentiary, together with Plains
initiative and referendum, have all
been passed by the house and with
the exception Of the initiative and
referendum will become law.
:. :. =
Bills for the division of the Fifth ill.,
dicial district were finally given I'D
after every parliamentary tactic in
their support had been worked out.
The Williams bill for an extension to
the Capital City street car line from
the capitol to the state. penitentiary
was carried after a hot argument. Eff
forts to reconsider the vote by which
the Humane association measure was
killed were unsuccessful, although
there was a hot fight made in it's ia
vor. The Englund bill providing for
the appointment of grain experts to
represent the state at Minnesota grain
terminals was killed in the shuttle. re-
ceiving only forty-seven votes.
y. - ..
After a hard fight the senate bill
proposing to grant to cities the power
OF revoking franchises, in certain in.
stances, was voted down by the upper
body. The opposition to this bill came
particularly from the western mem.
bers, who feared that the measure
would serve to keep foreign capital
out of the state.
!. j. Il
The plan of giving supreme court
Justices ten-year terms was almost de.
feated In the house when a motion to
indefinitely postpone, made by Martin
OF Morton, prevailed on a division.
The vote was changed. however, on a
roll call after several had spoken in
favor OF the measure. The bill came
before the house on the report OF the
judiciary committee, for passage.