Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-03-05
Legislature
, AND ITS WORK
Observation-Disclosures

ENTHUSIASTICALLY the most
interesting piece of legislation which
has been dealt with at the present
session land the most intense inter-
est which has yet been displayed,
was that on the day when the wom-
ems suffrage bill was killed in the
senate. The floor and the galleries
of the senate were crowded. The
nigh tension to which every person
in the senate chamber was strung
Sc med to add to the mugginess Of
the atmosphere. The interest was
intense. Senator Bronson of Grand
Forks led the fight for Senate Bill
No. 95 which was the suffrage bill,
while Senator Jacobson of Hettinger
county headed the opposition. There
was almost an hour of parliamentary
sparring before the senators got 70
the vital question of suspending the
rules and taking up the reconsidera-
ton of the bill. The motion to sus-
pend the rules was defeated and
the bill was left on the table dead.
This gives the women at least six
years more of labor before they can
possibly secure the vote. All past
labor is lost, at least so far as the
gaining of any Roadway with the
present bill is concerned.
History of the Suffrage Bill.
A brief explanation of the situa-
ton may interest the reader. This
bill was a concurrent resolution in
which form it is necessary to pre-
sent an amendment to the constitu-
ton. 1t is also necessary that such
a bill pass two successive legisla-
lures before it can be given to the
people to vote upon. The concur
rent resolution was passed by the
legislature of 1913. In order to get
an expression of the people on the
subject and to give the women the
right to vote earlier, a bill passed
the 1913 legislature allowing the
people to vote upon the subject of
granting the right of suffrage to the
women. This would have gained
the same end for the women, had it
carried, though they would not have
felt safe as any legislature could
have repealed the law, hence in Or
der to make it permanent it was de-
cided to have tho constitution
amended. At the election in 1914
the suffrage proposition was voted
down by large majority. The sur
fragists then pinned their hope upon
the possible favorable action of this
legislature on the constitutional
amendment. The bill passed the
senate and was sent over to the
house. Before the house had time
to act on it, the bill was recalled by
the senate. All endeavors to bring
1t out of its hole were lost. Three
fights were made to revive it, but of
no avail. And now the women will
have to begin all over again. At
bill through the legislature of 1917,
and again in 1919, then carry it by
majority in the election in 1920.
which will make it operative in
1921.
Against Terminal Elevator.
The house has gone on record as
against any terminal elevator IN
this state or any other state. and
the Burnett bill, providing for the
erection of terminal elevator eth
er at st. Paul or Superior was killed
and the clincher put upon it. The
bill met its death in the committee
of the whole. Representative Blan-
chard started the ball rolling with a
motion to report the bill for linden
mite postponement. Representative
Divet spoke for some time in oppo-
sition to the bill saying that the plan
of establishing terminal elevator
in St. Paul or Superior at the pres
ent time with but $4,000 in sight
was wild and visionary scheme OF
70 mn NJ oc vr,h0 or0 int tn
the proposition of using such an ele-
vator for their private use.
Treadwell Twichell made the
point that a constitutional amend
ment does not necessarily carry with
it an obligation on the Legislative
body to carry out its provisions i'm.
mediately or ever. Mr.. Fraser IA
vored the bill and thought st. Paul
was the best place for it, and wheth.
er it was a success or a failure ''it
would put the fear of God in the
Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce
When it came to vote on the mo.
ito nof indefinite postponement the
motion prevailed, the vote being 60
ayes, 40 nays and 8 absent and not
voting. Hence that ended the ter.
minal elevator matter for this SEES.
sion.
Will Mix Gopher Poison.
A bill has passed the senate and
is now in the house awaiting action
whic hprovides that the Agricultur.
al College shall procure the neces.
sary supplies, prepare poison and
furnish the same to county and
township officers and others for the
systematic determination of ground
squirrels, gophers and prairie dogs
The bill appropriates $500 for the
carrying out of the act. It has beer
sent to the house for action.
Lieutenant Governor Gets Vote.
It was necessary for Lieutenan,
Governor Frame to cast the decid
ing vote on two bills in one after
noon when several insurance bills
were up for passage. The two bills
referred to gave almost unlimited
powers to the insurance commission
er in fixing insurance rates. and OF
each the senate was a tie. Mr.
Frame killed both with his deciding