Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-02-26
Legislature
AND ITS WORK
Observation-Disclosures

settled down to the hard grind OF
closing up its affairs. The Senate
has upwards of 100 bills yet to
clean up and the House has many
more. The Lathrop committee is
still investigating, going into every
detail of state government. making
its recommendations and introduce
ing bills. There are some radical
ideas presented, and while many
may think they are rather harsh,
yet the members of the legislature
are taking it cool and giving every
item consideration. 1t is not be-
lieved that the legislature will do
all the things which are recommend
ed.
Order Against Board of Control.
The sensation of the week WIS
the action on the part of Attorneys
Seller. Knauf and Buck of James
town. in asking the court to tissue
u restraining order estopping the
board of control from in any man.
ner demanding, receiving, filing or
allowing or auditing any bills, ac-
counts or statements hereafter to be
made or issued for or in behalf of
any work or pretended work or la
Dor or material under said alleged
contract for the construction and
building of that certain receiving
ward upon the grounds and premises
of said hospital for the insane"
The order is returnable on March
before Judge Coffey at Jamestown
when and where the defendants are
ordered to show cause why they
should not be permanently restrain
81 ri
Ing any further moneys to w. j.
Curran the contractor.
History of the Case.
For the benefit of those who do
not understand the status of the
case it may be said: That the leg
islature of 1913 appropriated $780,
600 for tubercular ward and $780,
900 for receiving ward. The
board decided to remodel an old
building to be used for the tuber-
cular ward, which cost but part of
the 100000 appropriated. They
then asked permission of the emer-
gency board to transfer the balance
Of that account to the building fund
for the new receiving ward, which
permission was granted.
This left enough to construct a
colony building which was needed.
1t is not charged that the board act
ed criminally in diverting funds but
that they merely exceeded their au-
thority, as we'll as the emergency
board doing the same. The restrain
ing order grinds hard upon Mr.. Cur
ran the contractor, and who is an in
nocent party in the matter. His
oil 10 cd h r t.
and he is hindered in proceeding
with his work or with his spring
contracts. Some claim it is politics,
while others claim it is merely a
move on the part of these James
town citizens to have matters at the
asylum run in another manner. The
outcome will be watched with inter-
terest by the entire state. The board
Of control has been twice investigat-
ed by the legislature during this
session. with no adverse reports,
AMI 1t was thought this ended the
matter. but it seems this is not the
case.
Will Have Enforcement Officer.
North Dakota is going to have an
enforcement commissioner without
any doubt. House Bill No. II has
plowed its way through the commit
tees In both houses and run the
gauntlet on both floors. It has been
supported strongly. passed the house
with good majority and has been
recommended to pass in the senate.
It will in all probability have passed
the senate and been signed by the
governor by the time these lines are
to the reader. This bill gives the
enforcement commissioner power to
drive the states attorneys and all
the officers of the court to q strict
enforcement of the pronibitory law
Besides being very strong in its
provisions 1t appropriates plenty Of
money with which to carry out the
functions Of the law. Prominent
prohibitionists like Elizabeth Pres.
ton Anderson, Judge Pollock and
many others have been on the
ground for several Gays and are
watching the cat day and night
This law is tail twister for the
liquor interests in this state and
will probably come nearer making
prohibition a success than any 9th
o. move yet made.
Four Year Term Bill.
It looks like we were going t
have four-year terms for governor
and other state officers after 1926
a. the bill calling for four yeal
terms was recommended to pass
after some slight amendments. TIL,
Idea is looked upon suite favorabl,
I'm both houses, and II it becomes
law the four-year terms will afte
the law becomes effective run con
current with the presidential terms
For State Schools.
Appropriations for the next bien
NAL period for the state educationa
institutions have been decided on b.
the Joint appropriations committee
Of both houses. They are as follows
State university, $230,60O; agricul
tural college, $249,50O; Minot nor
NAL. $41,21S; Mayville normal. n
appropriations; Valley City normal
$40.078; school of science. $27.51z
Glendale normal, $12,0O8; Botti
neau school of forestry. $28,310.
Budget Board Bill.