The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1913-03-20
SOME import ANT
LAWS ENACTED
Review Of the Work Of the Re-
cent Legislature.
NOW UP TO THE PEOPLE
Woman Suffrage and Initiative and
Referendum to Be Voted on in
General Election Of 1914.
Continued from last issue)

Continued from last issue)
Under changes in the laws regulat-
ing the care of paupers, more work is
given township officials. Instead OF
direct aid being given by the county
commissioners, the township officials
must care for all cases within their
jurisdiction, having to appoint an
overseer of the poor who will be their
agent. Only in cases where township
officials fail to make. proper provision
are the county commissioners detailed
for duty.
The next legislature will be called
upon to select the site for the pro
posed new asylum for the insane. The
legislature just ended passed a bill
providing for the establishment OF
such an institution, but did not select
the city in which it was to be located,
leaving that duty to the next assem-
bly,. 1t probably will be located in the
northern part of the state, as the only
asylum for the insane now in existence
is in the southern section. Harvey,
~Fessenden, New Rockford, Leeds,
Rugby, Lakota, Cando and several 9th
er cities are in the race for the insti-
tuition.
Steps We're also taken this session
for the establishment of a new normal
school, Dickinson being the city Sc
1octnd Tho mo,cur, will have ~ ,
the next assembly before it will be
submitted to a vote.
The plan of removing the Bathgate
school for the blind to. Devils Lake,
and making it a part of the school for
the deaf and dumb, failed to pass.
An absent electors law is probably
the most important piece of political
legislation outside of the initiative and
referendum and woman suffrage. I'm.
der this measure voters who expect to
be absent from their homes on cleo.
ton day may make application to the
county auditor for a ballot, especially
prepared for the purpose. He must
go before a notary, swear as to his
eligibility, and fill the ballot, mailing
1t to the auditor in time to permit the
latter to serd it to the election off
Gals of the precinct in which the
voter resides. The ballot must be il
the precinct on election day, and must
be opened and regularly cast that day
by the election officials.
The state fairs at Grand Forks and
Fargo received an additional 5 5000 al
lowance annually. Heretofore the state
fair has been accorded a $40, 900 APP
preparation each year. Under the bill
that has been passed the associations
must use $4,000 of the amount for
premiums and $1,000 for maintenance
and general operating expresses.
Amendments to the hail insurance
department law remov that branch
from the Office of the commissioner of
agriculture and labor to the commits.
sioner OF insurance. The rate is
raised from 10 cents per acre to &c
cents per acre. Provision is also made
for the appointment by the county
board OF commissioners of a hail in.
surance adjuster, taking the duty OF
doing the actual adjusting out of the
bands Of the commissioners. The
township assessors are still charged
with the duty of writing insurance
and are allowed a half cent for eact
acre that is written by them, the for
mer law allowing them so cents fol
each 100 acres Or part thereof.
LOCALIZED aid for the better farming
movement is another interesting Tea
ture. Heretofore the counties of tn,
state have not been legalized to gran
aid to such movement, but under til,
bill passed the county commissions
may levy a tax for the purpose O
creating a fund to betused in the elm
ployment Of county farm experts, O
the fund a be paid over the Nort]
Dakota Farming association, and tina
organization must expend, the sam
within the county. !" -.
Important good roads legislatio:
vas brought about. Under one bill
the people of the state will next yea
vote on the question of state aid TO
tHe CONSTRUCTION OF highways.
Under another bill the appointment
of a township superintendent of road
is provided for. The farmers mus
pay their taxes in cash unless they ne
tify the county auditor before Apr
l of their intention to. work out sue
tax.
The proposal to create a state con
mission and the establishment of
series of state roads was not favored
Under another proposed constit,
tional amendment Which will be sui
mitted to the people in the 1914 eIet
tion provision is made. for uniformit
in taxation by classes. The legisls
ture would be empowered to provid
for the taxation Of various classes c
property on different basis of value
doing away With the present claus
which provides that all property sha
be assessed at full value. and unde
which clause much property is nc
reached.
The mechanics lien law was Sigh
ly amended. Under the new provisio
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