The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-01-27
LEGISLATIVE
news letter
News From The Capitol City
by Our Special Cores
PENDENT

S"SAA WI, SAAO AAASI OhS OClll6 d COlI1s
plant filed by States Attorney Smith
Of Burleigh county, and the second by
Attorney General Miller. Sheriff Barnes
OF Burleigh county made the arrest
and at the preliminary hearing before
Justice Perry, bonds amounting to
$4,000 in each case were asked and
secured. The cases will be disposed Of
Thursday and Friday.
Rumors have been rife for some time
that the retiring treasurer was liable
to be arrested at any time. 1t has been
known since the beginning Of the year
that the treasurer was not able to turn
the affairs of the office over satisfac-
torily to his successor. Bickford had
deposits of state money amounting to
over $4,000 in his Bowbells bank. This
money had been invested and when the
new treasurer refused to accept the
certificates of deposit it. was up to
Bickford to produce the cash. The
amount he had deposited in his bank
was far In excess of the sum that could
be deposited in any bank with such
small capitalization. Strenuous efforts
have been made the past two weeks to
get the cash, and for this purpose it
was stated that a syndicate had been
formed to take over the securities and
property of the retiring treasurer and
all would be we'll So far as known
the syndicate has not yet made a COM
plete settlement. Mr.. Bickford says
few of his political enemies here in
Bismarck, mentioning ex-senator Little
and ex-Adjutant General Poole, are at
the bottom of the instigation, and that
when all is over it will be shown the
state has not lost a dollar by the tran
actions. 1t was just a case where he
was not able to realize on his invest
ments in bad year. But then again
he can show no law for turning such
an amount Of cash into his own bank.
The, election of the United States
senators by the legislature this year
was mere formality. Senator Nc
Cumber, who was nominated in the
June primaries to succeed himself, was
reelected for six years more, and Con-
gresham Gronna, who was named for
the place made vacant by the late Sen
ator M. N. Johnson, received the four
year term. The democrats had named
Messrs. Bruegger and Purcell for these
positions, in the election by the legis
lature each nominee of his party re-
ceived the party vote. There are foc:y-
five republican senators and five der,c-
cratic, and in the house there are
Lightweight republicans, fourteen
democrats and one socialist The So
cialist member split his vote IIe voted
against McCumber and for Gronra.
It is expected there will be several
Investigations made if resolutions that
have been introduced pass both houses
Senator Gunderson has asked for all
in csiigation into the amount expc,,d-
e over SAG co., that was COLES. !':nlo
the game and fish fund. Mr.. HaWkin-
son has started a resolution in the
house asking for an examination into
the affairs of the state treasurers Of
fee, and another resolution covers
smelling" of the land department. It
will be remembered that the state pen
ttentiary and the secretary of states
office came in for an overhauling two
years ago, and while not much misap-
preparation of funds was discovered the
results were benefit, as they started
a better system of bookkeeping and
checking that is saving the state
Cne of the hard fights of this ses-
sion will come on reapportionment
Mr.. Nestos has the only bill in SO far.
This provides for SO senators, the con-
stitutional limit, and 1875 representa-
tives. This would make the average
population Of senatorial districts. H.
Sal; population per senator without
5.771, to s,O79 might be
entitled to one senator and three rep
resentatives; 9,233 to 1854 might be
entitled to one senator and two repre-
1852 to 13,849 would be
entitled to one senator and three rep
1880 to 1851 would be
entitled to one senator and four repre-
cut down the representation and other
sentatives. There is disposition to
bills are in course of being drawn.
The probable division of the state
INTO three congressional districts is
also the cause of much speculation.
The winning combination appears to
~SOA viz pApOSAIAOA " ulVlU6 the state
~ lines running north and south. This
would throw the Red river valley coun-
ry into one district. the Jim river val
ey into another and the Missouri slope
country into another. This would di-
Tide the state as 1t is divided on its
natural resources and would be the
easible plan.
The house has decided to have its
,ills printed. At first the members
bought it would be good plan to
ave the amount spent for printing
ILLS until they were at least reported
rom committees. This required the
firing Of more stenographers. as
nough bills had to be typewriter SO
sIusssd and Robbed.
! CARING Just q short distance
vest Of the N. p. tracks, Henry Harris
vas struck over the head by an UNI
'noWn man. and while In a partially 4