The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1915-03-11

eused the board Of any charge of
fraud. for its acts were done with the
consent of the emergency commission,
and under the law this is final; that 1t
had not acted fraudulently in paying
Sam Crabbe $1O.60O in fees; that it
was an unsettled question whether or
not the board acted wisely in divert
Ing the money, u it did, ever If it
acted within the law. This undoubt.
eddy ends the matter as far as the leg
tslature is concerned-but there Is
now an action In the courts.
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The Commission ~stays-The final
burst of fireworks came in the house
when the Heckle bill to create a one.
man tax commission came up for final
hearing. The majority report of the
committee was in favor of indefinite
postponement. But there was a gen.
eral feeling that 1t would be very
close either way when the final vote
was cast. Divet Of Richland spoke
against the bill and pictured wildly
the influence brought to bear upon
members to pass the bill and do away
with the present body composed of
three members. He was followed by
Treadwell Twichell. who spoke in be.
half of the bill. The measure was
defeated by n vote. The clincher
motion was at once applied and car.
ried by a larger vote than the defeat
Of the bill. The galleries of the house
were packed, but there were only two
outbreaks Of applause that caused the
speaker to call for order. It is stated
that ex-senator Steele Of Mohall was
slated for the one-man commissioner
had the bill gone through.
+ + l.
Board of Regents-The board of re.
gents bill is a law, having been signed
by the governor. 1t takes over the man.
agement of all the educational insti-
tutions, including the three normal
schools, and places them under a
board of five members. This measure
has the emergency clause that is
doubtful in its validity. Ex-Governor
Frank White of Valley City has been
offered n place and is said to have
accepted. Usher L. Burdick of Willis.
ton was rendered the place, but de.
clined. Emil Scow of Bowman is al
ether to whom the offer has been
made.
State Treasurer 8anker-Senate bill
2SS changes the method of transact.
ing business by state officers materi.
ally. 1t provides that the state treas.
urer shall be the banker of the Off
GERS and that instead of paying the
fees into the ~treasurer's office by
check at the end of the month the
actual remittances of the persons pay
ing the fees shall be deposited with
the state treasurer, on deposit slip
as with banks. The system will prob
ably work for the benefit of the off
GERS, but will load up the treasurer's
office with plenty Of work. The bill!
is now a law.
!. !. i.
Representations bill II was
killed in the senate after an acrimo
NOUS debate. The oratory drew q
large crowd. House bill ia will make
the diversion known as "DOotlegging'
a rather dangerous one. At the pres
ent time the system for securing liz
uor has been to hire a hackman anC
pay hin, for his trip, and in addition
thereto the price of the liquid re
freshments. There has been, under
the law, no means of %penalizing the
hsckmen, who act as common carriers
and therefore avoided conviction. Bu1
the new law, approved by the govern
or, takes ~cognizance of these condi
lions, and the hackman who takes ar
order for a fare of that kind here
after may find an opportunity of trav
cling to an unlocked for destination
where there are bars on the windows
and bolts on the doors.
= !. !.
Single Tax Amendment-The legis
lature put its approval upon a single
tax amendment to the constitution o
the state. Its first ratification tool
place when the senate without oppo
sition passed the concurrent resolu
ton submitting to the people the gen
eral proposition Of a single tax. Thi'
resolution amends the constitution b.
giving the Legislature the power to ex
empt buildings and improvements OF
land from taxation. The action is no
mandatory, but in event another legis
lature ratifies the amendment and tn
people adopt it the way is paved TO
single tax legislation.
!. :. =
Killed Them-The house killed ser
ate bill 209, placing the governor AM
attorney general upon the state print
ing commission. 1t also killed tn
state highway commission and refuse
tc permit the placing of the motto
vehicle registration funds in tn
hands of such a board for road build
ing.
:. :. :.
Death Penalty Aboiished-The lee