Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1914-1915, 1915-01-21
Numerous Concurrent Reso|u-
tions Offered in Senate.
FEWER ELECTIONS PROPOSED
Senator Mclean Would Select State
and County Officers but Once
in Four Years.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the leg-
islature has struck it's stride this
early in the session is a matter of no
small significance. This date, at past
sessions, would have found the mem
bers returning from the weeks ad-
j%ournment, and ready to learn where
and how to begin. Already more than
fifty bills have been introduced in
each house, and among them already
have appeared the first of the appro-
priation measures. A condition such
as this has created considerable ia
vorable public comment throughout
the state, and it is very evident that
the legislators are working along
lines that are popular. The fact that
the new rules adopted provide that no
bills may be introduced after the thir,
ty-fifth day Of the session has acted
as a spun and made those who might
be of a procrastinating disposition to
get at work upon their pet measures.
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Constitutional Conventions-Of the
actment of new laws and the great
majority are for the amendment of
laws already on the statute books. A
surprising feature of the measures in
troduced so far is the number of Con-
current resolutions to provide for the
amendment of the state constitution.
Indeed, the number of these has been
so large as to occasion no little dis
cussion as to the ad~visability Of cali
ing a state constitutional convention.
1t is argued that the cost Of a conven-
ton would not be in excess greatly OF
the cost of the enactment of the pro-
posed amendments, if the amount re-
quired to be spent in advertising the
various amendments and printing bal
lots is to be taken into consideration.
In addition a convention can create a
nicus whole, whereas the present
amendment method will give little
better than a patchwork. Besides
this, it is pointed out that the voter
can not discriminate and will not
have time to discriminate at the polls
when a large number of amendments
are submitted to him for approval or
rejection, whereas a constitution will
be a deliberate body. There is some
talk that the prohibition element,
jealous Of the prohibition clause con.
tanned in section PIT, may oppose the
calling of a convention, unless given
some assurance that this section will
remain inviolate. Whatever the re-
suit, it is true that the %swaddling gar.
ment adopted by the baby state in
1883 has been outgrown and that a
larger and more easy fitting garment
must be secured, If we are to keep
step with the march of progress.
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Four.Year Terms-Among the pro.
posed constitutional amendments in.
troduced Senator Mclean has five
changes in the political situation,
Briefly stated, Mr.. Mclean has pro
posed the short ballot" in combina.
ton with the long term" All state
officers except treasurer, attorney
general, governor and judges are to
be appointed, as the legislature may
direct; all state and county officers
to have four-year terms of office; leg
islative sessions to be quadrennial in
stead of biennial and to last ninety
days instead of sixty; legislative mem
bership to be reduced to not more than
forty in the senate and not more thar
seventy-five in the house; house mem
bers to be elected for four-year and
senators for eight-year terms. In ad
dition the governor, state treasurer
attorney general, county sheriff and
treasurer are barred from holding
consecutive terms. The result Of this
would be that elections would be few
or and there would be less of q mac
scramble on the part of o~ficeholders
> to get ready for the next election. Ar
oflceholder has hardly had time to gel
: accustomed to the duties of his new
Office before he must begin to canvass
for the next nomination and election
so that his first term is often merely
a campaign for the second. This de
stroys efficiency. On the other side
the voter has grown weary of the Ions
ballot, the interminable number o
names to vote for and the interminablt
number Of elections. In a presiden
, tial year North Dakotans have as higf
as five separate election days. Lately
!, the interest in political affairs and II
! civic duties has fallen Off and TIL
voters can not be dragged to the polls
One thing has not been explained il
connection with the proposed savin.
Of expense in cutting off some of the
I elections, and that is how the state
can avoid holding elections for repre-
: sentatives in congress every two
years, or how it can avoid an election
for United States senator when hi.
six-year term ends on an "on" year
. That matter will have to be seriously
considered. Nevertheless these pro
posed amendments are significant O
. the trend Of public thought and popu
lar desire. Even North Dakotaas car
have too much politics.
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> Busy Diekinsor-While others ar