The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-01-13
B|'ullrl[k!e's Views
GOVERNORS MESSAGE THE LEoisLAruRE ASKS
PRECIPITATION BILLS EARLY-WoULp REPEAL WOLF 6oUN.
MEASURE URGES CLOSEST ECONOMY
Popular Election of Senators
Says Change
Constitutional,
Undivided Support all
o Political Parties

Bismarck.-The state capitol build
ing presented an animated scene or
Wednesday when with simple but i'm
pressive ceremonies John Burke was
sworn in as governor for the third
time. The house chamber proper was
filed with the members Of both houses
Of the legislature and the galleries and
back ground with interested spectators
Lieutenant Governor Burdick intro.
duced the governor, who, after reading
his message. took the oath of office
The governors message in part fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of the Twelfth Legislative
Assembly of the State of North
Dakota:
In Section Is of the constitution is
found this language, viz: HE 9TH,
yovernorj shall at the commencement
Of each session communicate to the
legislative assembly, by message, in
formation of the condition of the
state. and recommend such measures
as he shall deem expedient." II does
not impose any legal obligation on
tho members to be guided by the con-
i;tions presented, or to approve the
recommendations made. The infor-
nation is for the benefit Of the men,
bers, to enable them to act intelli-
gently; and the governor is required
to furnish it for the reason that he
g in position to know the conditions
Of the state and to make recommen-
aations in reference thereto. He is a
member of many of the state boards.
The institutions and the officials al
make reports to his office and this
gives him a knowledge of the condi-
tons of the state and it's institutions
greater than that Of any other Of
fetal.
The most important information to
the legislative assembly is the infor-
nation of the financial condition of the
state. for without it the legislature is
working in the dark and may appro-
pirate more than the revenues of the
state warrant; and while there is no
legal obligation imposed upon the leg
lslative assembly by the constitution
to be guided by information of the
conditions of the state furnished by
the governor, there is an implied
moral obligation to keep within the
revenues of the state in making ap-
preparations.
islative assembly furnished an
itemized statement showing the ex-
penditures of the state for the two
years previous, and included an Of
fetal estimate Of the revenues of the
state for the ensuing two years, in
spite Of which the appropriations
made by the legislature exceeded the
revenues of the state in large
amounts. I do not believe that the
legislature intended to appropriate
more money than there was revenue.
Many of the appropriation bills were
passed at a late hour OH the last
night of the session and in the con-
fusion and hurry always incident to
the closing hours of the legislature,
it. is doubtful if any member knew
that they had exceeded the revenues
of the state. But whether it was the
Intention or not, it was certainly neg
llgence on the part of someone to
allow SO many appropriation bills to
remain in the hands Of the commit
tees until the last night of the SEES
sion. The appropriations should be
taken care Of as early in the session
as possible; not in the confusion of
the last night Of the session when the
members are cleaning up their desks
and preparing to leave, but at time
when there is nothing to distract the
a fanfinn NJ he
mature elaboration and considera-
ton they should give to so important
a matter as the expenditure of the
peoples money.
The governor presented table CIV
ing the expenses and revenues for the
past four years and gave the estimated
receipts for the coming biennial per-
Tod as s2,500,000.
Early Consideration of Appropriation
Bus.
And now at the threshold of your
labors ask you to keep your apprc-
priations within the revenues of the
state. Introduce your appropriation
bills as early as possible in the ses-
sion. Consider them all as nearly at
the same time as may be, for it is
only by careful consideration of all
that you can justly determine wha,
each should have.
Wants Fair Treatment.
Inasmuch as the constitution per-
mits the governor to retain a bill for
three days. try and have all the ap-
bills reach the governors
office within three days from the time
that he receives the first bill. He will
then have them all before HIM at the
same time, and If in his Judgment
should be cut out, you will
still be in session to receive his judg-
ment and subject it to your own.
This is only fair to yourselves, to the
~>>e@e~~~~~e~s ~~~~~.~ee~~e~~
Enjoins Sups, 1n;endsnt Elect.
Fessenden.-A sensational phase of
the Wells VS.. Erickson contest case
over the school SUPPLEMENTARY of
Wells county came up when an
injunction was procured prohibiting
Erickson from taking over the office
Of county superintendent.