Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-03-01

Bismarck.-Tle fifteenth legisla-
tive assembly is fast drawing to
close, and every available minute is
being utilized by the members.
There is still tremendous amount
of work to be done, and volumes are
being accomplished each day. For
several days past, night sessions
have been necessary and both hous-
es work till late at night. Then
after the long day and hard evening
has been spent laboring over the
many bills, the various committees
have to go to work, and it is not
an unusual occurrence that a COM
mittee works through till breakfast
time with no rest whatever, only to
take up the next days grind.
There has been little If any fric-
ton in the senate, and the majority
of that body have stood together to
q man. In the house there 'las been
less unity and some i'll feelings have
crept in between the members. The
majority has been large and there
has been no danger apparent TO hold
them in as close bounds as has been
the case in the senate.
For r. E. at Paramount
The senate passed two of its i'm
portant bills in one day, two bills
which were Of mutual interest. They
were bill No. 1922, providing for the
erection of a state terminal elevator
at Paramount, and bill No. 314
establishing state grain grading
and warehouse commission. The
vote on the terminal elevator propo-
sition was 81 to II. This bill car
ries an appropriation of $125,000
and the elevator is to be operated in
conjunction with the Equity flour
mill at Paramount. The fact that
most of the votes against it were
league members leads to the suspi-
cion that the bill will be killed in the
house where that faction has a large
majority.
100000 for Terminal Elevator
The bill appropriating 100000
for a terminal elevator, either within
or without the state, passed the
senate and has been sent to Gov.
FRAZIER for signature. 1t places full
power in a committee of fifteen, one
from each OF the judicial districts
and the governor, attorney general,
| and treasurer. This bill is opposed
by members of the Nonpartisan
League, and may fail Of passage in
the house Of representatives.
Sweeping Amendment
| A concurrent resolution has been
introduced in the house by Repre-
sentative Stair which has proved one
Of the most interesting issues of the
session. It calls for an amendment
to the constitution which will make
I the will of the people Of North Da-
I kota supreme over the governor, the
legislature. the courts and even the
constitution. 1t is so broad and so
sweeping that it is looked upon very
seriously by the conservative men,
bers Of both houses, and there are
most serious doubts II it gets by,
even in the house. with less chance
IL the senate.
The proposal Is that Section Is
Of the Constitution be amended to
read as follows:
1.-The legislative authority Of the
state snail be vested In senate ana
. house of representatives. but sub
ject always to the direct powers
which the people hereby reserve to
themselves; measures. acts, resolves
and amendments to the constitution
and to enact, approve or r,jcct the
same by majority Of these voting
thereon. Independent, regardless and
Notwithstanding the legislative as
sembly, tle veto or annulment pow
er Of any state official or court. and
secondly, at their own option and
In the same or like manner to order
or petition the. submission to then
and to enact, re-enact or approve ant
confirm. or reject, annual or repeal
at tae polls. any act, resolve or othel
legislative measure, item, section
part or parts Of any such as are re
ferred. submitted to, proposed. enact
ed or rejected by the legislative as
sembly, vetoed or annulled by an,
state official or court"
\ It is claimed by some that the bill
would so completely let down tn,
bars as to be unsafe. and there 1
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