The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-12-20
n. Dakota Solons
Face Lively Time
Woman's Suffrage Measure; Refer
endum Recall and "Blue SKY"
Law Considered

EuWuu NkSdu duV OluS OAy
Law Considered
Bismarck, N. D., Dec. 15.-That
there will be large number Of bills
offered at the coming session of the
North Dakota legislature seems assured.
The state legislative reference librarian
is receiving inquiries daily from men,
bers of both the house and the senate
asking for information regarding diff
ferent questions. A good many of the
proposed laws will be of statewide in
terest and, of course, there will be one
usual grist of local issues.
Woman's suffrage will be represented
by number of bills. There are good
many members who are looking for the
honor of being the sponsor of the move
ment and there will be bills introduced
in both the senate and the house giving
the women of the state right to par
ticipate in the selection of state officers
other than superintendent of schools,
as is now the case. One of the bills to
be offered will be allowing the women
to vote only on state officers and county
superintendents of schools. Another
will put them on the same footing as
the men so far as the exercise of their
franchise is concerned. Another bill
would make it possible for women to
vote only when they pay a certain
amount of taxes and another would pre-
hibit them from voting on constitutional
amendment. That there will be a
compromise bill worked out from those
offered is the greatest possibility. Ad-
vocate of woman's suffrage claim with
a great deal of enthusiasm that there
is sure to be some sort of bill passed
allowing the women of the state to vote.
The initiative, referendum and recall
amendment will be voted on in the legi-
stature this winter for the second time
and will then be submitted to the people
at the coming general election. There
will be some fight on the bill this winter,
as the advocates of prohibition fear
that it will apply to the prohibition law
and will allow the law prohibiting the
sale of intoxicating liquors to be pre-
sented to the people again. There will
be strong fight and there is prob
ability that the amendment will be
changed some before it is allowed to
come before the people. For the first
time in good many years there ap-
pears to be a concerted movement on
in the State for the resubmission of the
prohibition clause of the constitution to
the people. 1t is not likelyi it will ever
carry, as it is necessary that the meas
ure pass the legislature at two sessions
and then be submitted to a popular
vote. =:
What is known as the ''blue sky"
law issgoing to come in for considera-
able attention from the solons this win
ter. This particular measure is going
to be urged by the commissioner of in
'surance with the idea of preventing the
entry into the state of wild cat -insur-
'.ance companies and will probably be
made broad enough to cover a number
of other evils that exist in the state at
the present time SO far as the exploita-
hon of :unsav0Ey business is 1oncerned.
One of the bills to be introduced that
will be of particular interest to the
farmers is to provide a way in which q
!. tax can be levied, the revenue to be
used in the promotion Of the better
farming aaevement. 1t is desired to
have ! county superintendent in each
county, whose duty it will be tovisit
around among the residents and give
them the best ideas Of Increasing their
crops, and also give valuable informa-
ton on stock raising. There are few
counties where this has been done by
private subscription and county tax,
and ithas been founa to be very VAL
able thing for those who will use the
information given. .s.s.ssj. .l
A change in the form of.ballots for
the general elections will also be- offer.
ed bya one member of the senate, who
thinks that the big blanket sheet bal
lots are not the proper: :caper. He sug-
gests that the voter be given q pamph-
let with the names of the candidates
on it,: tits urged that it will not only.
be easier for the voter to handle, but
will also hasten the securing of results
& and The canvassers will not have such
an unwieldy ballot to handle.
The newly-named tax commission has
been busy with :the:tax laws and it is
understood will have some suggestions.
to give the members in the way,of new
laws. The1l commission has devoted
nearly all its time to this matter, and