The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-01-18

submission to the voters at a special
election to be held next summer. It
seems to be contended by league
leaders that while an amendment" to
the constitution would require the
sanction of w successive legislative
assemblies. an entire new constitution
submitted by a legislative assembly
could go direct to the people without
the Formally of further legislative
sanction, a point which is more or
less stoutly resisted by alleged author
tiles outside the league membership.
Mr.. Bowen, however, declares that
similar proceedings have been upheld
in other states.
Objections Of tho "oId Guard"
Against the plan Of procedure as
here outlined, the n~on-league members
more or less generally protest on the
ground that the method proposed for
securing amendments is not. in their
Judgment. constitutional; that it al.
lows insufficient time for thorough de-
liberation on the part of the public,
and that it places the virtual powers
Of a constitutional convention in the
hands of the legislature, whose MEM
bers. the DIRECTORS insist, were not
elected with the intention that they
should fulfill such functions.
In the meantime the league leaders
u DOSuA " Ao ~
bring pressure to bear upon senators
who are not with them, President
Townley and others having made some
Of the more prominent points in She
state this week in a speaking tour de-
signed to present their cause favor
ably before the voters. A vigorous
contest is inevitable. and the out
come will be watched with interest.
A bill will be pressed for considera-
ton by Senator Nelson Of Grand
Forks county, providing that teachers
in rural schools must be equipped to
teach commercial law and farm book
keeping.
A rural credits act will be among
the proposals considered during the
session, designed to provide that the
| state school fund be loaned out on
year period. the loans to be repayable
on a basis Of 4 per cent interest an
nually.
Legal and Maximum Interest.
Numerous bills are being introduced
covering the subject Of legal and max
imum interest rates. under the general
recommendation on this subject con-
tanned in Governor Frazier's inaugural
message. These bills make the maxi
mum or contract rate 8 to 10 per cent,
with legal rates, where interest is not
specified. running from S to 6 per cent.
| One bill proposes a fine Of 5000 for &C
eepting interest above the contract
rate. Other bills deal with the rate
which may be charged during periods
Of redemption.
Motor registration laws are coming
in for a share Of the proposed work
at a~mendation. Representative Guam
has a bill providing that all townships
may share in license receipts according
to size. The present law allows nc
road funds from this source to town.
ships which do not levy at least six
per cent of their own taxes for road
purposes.
Senator Englund's banking bill. 8.
B. No. 8, proposes a minimum capitali-
cation of $4,000 for state banks in the
smaller towns, with a graduated scale
of increasing minimums for owns of
larger size, ranging up to 100000 for
towns of 1000 to 5000 population, and
$4,000 for towns above 5000.
Budget Board Is Late.
The state budget board. which has
been at work for several weeks pre-
pairing the budget of state and insti-
t%utional expenses. has asked for more
time to prepare its report. Under the
law by which this board was created
the members are required to report
within ten days after the opening of
each biennial session of the legislature,
but the difficulties to be overcome were
more han the board a been able to
~foresee. and the elapsed time is said
to nave found them with their report
not yet completed.
Test Of League Strength.
The first bill to pass the house was
Anthony Walton's house bill No. 1
providing for an emergency fund of
$500 for use of the attorney general.
The measure was sponsored by the
Nonpartisan league, n the vote is
claimed by the league to be a strict
test of it's strength in the house. "a
members voting for and 10 against the
measure.
The printing of the stationery for
separate committees vas one of the
items of expense which the Nonparti-
san caucu decided to be unnecessary
and has decided to abandon in the in
terest Of economy.
Nonpartisan league members nave
been holding daily %caucuses, and the
usual marked interest in presentation
of bills is notably subservient to the
interest in the general constructive
policies Of the organization. An act of
the house designating q committee Of
vised to consult. has doubtless resulted
in some decrease from the usua num-
Der Of personal measures.
For Missouri River Bridge.
The commercial clubs of Bismarck
and Mandan have had their heads to-
gether for some time on a plan for
the erection of a wagon bridge across
he Missouri river, thereby connect
ing those two cities. Burleigh and
Morton counties are to nave a hear
ing before the highways committee of
the senate on Senator Wolford's bill
which provides for the increasing of
the amount which any county may
spend on a wagon bridge spanning a
n%avigable stream to $500, 900. At pres
ent each county is restricted to an
expenditure Of $3.50, 900 for bridge pur-
poses. Representatives of the Bis
narck and Mandan commercial clubs
were authorized to meet with the
committee regarding the matter. This
will complete the connecting link of
he Red trail across the continent II
the bridge is built.
Dates Highway Board Meetings.
1t Is probable that the bill Of Sem
ator Mostad of Ward calling for a
change in the date Of meeting Of the
highway improvement board, will
pass. Under the present law the meet