Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-03-05

postponement of House Bill No. Il,
which has become famous through
the sparring which has accompanied
it. This is the bill which provided
for an enforcement commissioner,
and which Office it was reported was
to be filled by Rev. F. L. Watkins
the present enforcement league Of
ficer. It was introduced In the
house and after considerable speech
making and other parliamentary
sparring it passed. It then wen,
over to the senate, where It was
thought it might squeeze through.
For some time it has lain in the
senate committee. Recently when II
came up it was deferred for two
days. Finally when the time arrlv-
ed to dispose of it, there seemed to
be wave of opposition sweep over
the senate. Speech after speech was
cal opposition. Senator Martin o.
Morton scored the issue, and ridi-
culing and arraigning Mr.. Watkins
in the most scathing terms. After
over an hour of argument pro and
con, the bill was finally voted upon
and 1t was Indefinitely postponed by
vote of % to 81, with five absen,
and not voting. The incident caus-
ed profound sensation. and COUP
led with the defeat of the woman's
suffrage bill has established the
fact tina There is condition in the
| state which was not believed to ex-
list; that is, while suffrage was de-
feated at the last election. yet there
was belief that the legislature
would pass the bill and put it up to
the governor; and, as the prohib,.
ton sentiment is believed to be in
the very large majority in the state,
it was thought to be a foregone con.
clusion that this enforcement COM
missioner bill would carry.
Williams Amendment Killed.
General Williams proposed
| amendment to the constitution
which passed both houses of the last
legislative assembly and was up for
passage before this assembly again
has been turned down by vote OF
IS to 43. This amendment would
allow the surface rights of state
coal-bearing lands to be disposed of,
the mineral rights to be kept for the
state. AS the constitution now
reads the surface rights as we'll as
the mineral rights are reserved.
General Williams contends that the
clause which he sought to have
amended has now served its pur.
pose and might hinder the develop
ment of the western part of the
state. Representative Divet though:
it best to leave this part of the con-
stitution alone for the present and
feared that the state might lose
large amount of money by removing
the restrictions which now exist.
Treadwell Twichell spoke agains,
the amendment and thought 1t best
to preserve the coal until more IS
known regarding the value of the
coal and the land. Upon motion or
| Mr.. BrattOn it was indefinitely post-
poned.
The Youman Hearing.
Probably tho most interesting
committee now at work is that one
appointed by the house and senate
for the purpose of investigating the
charges made by Grant Youman,
the Minot banker, against Bank Ex-
aminer Severtson and the Banking
Board, claiming that they fraudu-
lently closed up his bank. The
committee consists of Representa-
tives Haraldson and Purcell and
Senator McCray. Youman is repre-
sented by Tracy Bangs of Grand
Forks. The investigation has been
on for three days and will undoubt-
eddy last that much longer. YOU
man was so aggrieved over his be-
ing closed out of business that he
published a booklet entitled, legal
lied Bank Robbery" which was
widely distributed throughout the
state during the last campaign and
has caused considerable comment.
There is intense interest in the out
come of the investigation as it will
go hard with some one, no matter
which way the decision goes.
Will Get Board Of Regents.
The bill providing for the an
pointment of board of regents Tor
the control Of the state educational
institutions, which was passed by
the house, has also passed the up
per body but few amendments
were made and it has to go back to
the house for final action. It is not
anticipated that it will be delayed
there, but that the house will con-
| Jul Ill Iuo dmeuUm0uLS ana the
measure sent to the governor. It is
expected he will make the appoint
ments at once SO they can be con-
firmed by the senate at the present
session. The salary of the secre-
tary of the board is to be $4,000
Pr year. There are five members
of the board, one to be appointed
from each congressional district and
two at large but no three from coun-
ties where educational institutions
are located.
Demonstration Farms to Stay.
The first bill introduced by the
Lathrop committee to meet defeat
was the one repeating the law pro-
viding appropriations for the main
tenance of the demonstration farms
in different parts of the state. It
failed for lack Of constitutional
majority. A motion to reconsider
the vote by which the demonstration
farm bill was killed carried but when
second vote nm tho fna1 noesor ~