The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-01-11
LAWMAKERS
NOW AT WORK
n. .. LEGISLATIVE SESSION SUB.
JECT OF GREAT INTEREST.
donpartisan League Controls Lower
Houss-Governors' Messages Are
Received.

~N@V
Vonpartisan League Controls Lowe,
Houso-Governors' Messages Are
Received.
Bismarck-More than usual In.
terest has conferred about this ses.
sion OF the legislature, and 1t has beer
many years since there was so much
speculation as to what will be the out.
come.
Never in the history OF the state
has a condition approached the pres.
ent one. This is due to the sweeping
result Of the recent. election. whereby
had gained control Of both houses as
well as almost the entire administra.
ton.
The house Is overwhelmingly Non.
partisan and that faction organized
that wing. But it was in the senate
where the trouble brewed. The Non.
partisan faction claimed q slight ma.
those outside the league-said nothing
and merely sawed wood. Day and
night the league organization labored
with them without results. The day
OF converting arrived with the reg.
ulars" in the lead in the senate. by q
majority Of two.
w. J.. Prater. treasurer Of Burleigt
SSNAASys 0AO q PIOkIAAIlCuI ASd6 0O AAAd
was, however, a secretary of the
senate. The regulars secured contrO.
OF the employment committee and
placed their friends in most Of the
places.
Public speeuIates on Results.
Just how far this lack OF a major.
ity in the senate will block the pro.
ceedings Of the Nonpartisans is q mat.
ter for development. The most talked.
Of issue is that Of a constitutional con
~vention. in order that the N~onpartisar
platform which favors state-owned
mills. terminal elevators. packing
houses. cold storage plants. hail in.
surance. nc assessment Of farm i'm
provements. ETC.. might be carried out,
It being necessary to change the con-
stitutton in order to bond the state fol
these. II the regulars in the senat
stand as a unit this cannot be accom-
plished. Gov. Frazier recommends
this movement. but there Is little il
any hope for II.
On Tuesday the legislature met and
after appointing the several commit
tees for organization, adjourned to
Wednesday afternoon to give the
committees a chance to do their work
On Wednesday afternoon the SEN
ate adjourned to the house where in
JOINT session they witnessed the ad-
ministering Of the oath to Governor
L A0AACl AA4O 1ASICAlSU I lIlS IlCood6CG
Of both the outgoing and incoming
governors.
Gov. Hanna's Message.
Gov. Hanna's message was quite
lengthy. Prefacing his address with 9
few appropriate remarks he o up
the matter Of the states finances.
This was entered into in considerable
good condition. He showed wher.
the states bonded debt was ss37.3o
four years ago., while today it is $780,
900, or q reduction Of $475, 800.
He called attention to the budget
committee. the board Of control and
the board of regents n commended
their creation and the record they had
made.
He discussed the terminal elevator
question and reviewed the history OF
the question in this state. The trend
Of the governors opinion on this SUBJ
tect is that it is impracticable.
In handling the. subject Of good
the same sentiment. and recommended
that the automobile license money
should be used for meeting the ex-
pense when accepting the govern
ment's- aid for good roads.
The governor suggested an improve
ment in the primary system which
practically returns to the convention
system and prohibiting the unit rule.
In discussing the question of rural
credits Governor Hanna called atten-
l o to the present system Of the
state loaning money on farm lands.
He stated that when all the present
school lands are sold there will bs
lions Of dollars to loan. He claimed
that this would practically make the
rural credit plan unnecessary.
He called attention 10 the fact that
there was an extensive gas field in
southwestern North Dakota. and prob
ably considerable oil. He advised that
the state spend a reasonable amount
In a~scertaining whether there is oil
underlying state lands.
Recommends Legislation.
Under the head Of Legislation
Governor Hanna made the following
suggestions:
That the membership of the house
and senate be reduced.
That the legislature meet once in
tour years instead of biennially.
That county and state officials b<
elected for o years. and that thu
governor hold but n term.
A state agent to push clay n lig.
mite ond other resources.
Reasonable appropriation for immi'
grafton.
The minimum capital stock of stat,
banks to be $4,000.
Some provision for an orphans
home.
State officials should take office IL
odd-numbered years n tho legisla,
ture to onven in even-numberet
years. ~
Taxes should be due Nov. Is. ant
delinquent Dec. Is.
Game board to be given more power
A better system of distributing
money to schools.
At the close Of Governor Hanna,
address Chief Justice Bruce admin
istered the oath Of Office to Governo
Frazier and all state officials. immedi
ately following which Governor Fraz
Ter delivered his inaugural address.
Governor Frazier's Message.
Governor Frazier, in his Inaugural
message. went on record as ~favorinl
the following,
S~tate-owned terminal elevators
dour mills, packing, houses. cold stor-
age plants, hail insurance. etc.. In or
{ der to secure such would require q
constitutional convention.
Changing the time for taxes to be-
come delinquent 20 that half would