The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-02-15
SENATE MAJORITY
! STILL SITS TIGHT
SMALL PROSPECT OF A SPEEDY
CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION.
House Killed Two-Cent Fare Bill
Cole Wants Cash for Soldier
Boys-Other Items.

BAN "a
raj address that the constitutional
convention bill would be the most
important matter to come before the
legislature at this time, everything
was sidetracked, practically, during
the consideration of bill Al which
was this measure. And now that
this bill has been disposed of with
the certainty that there is no posi-
Die chance to get it by or in any way
to revive the issue in the legislature,
the members of both houses have
turned to other matters, and while
there has not been much on the sur
lace, yet the committees and indi.
v1dual members have been busy.
Every day the Leaguers hold d
caucus in the auditorium of the
Northwest hotel which is their head
quarters. In the meantime the ma
jority of the senate is making medi-
1cine and at the same time keeping
both ears on the ground.
The strong majority in the senate
holds holds together solidly on all
factional matters, and it is tacitly
understood that this policy will be
carried out through the entire ses-
sion. The condition had it's origin
In the organization of the senate,
and became confirmed when the
question of calling another constitu-
tional convention for the passing of
house bill a. came up. These men
In the senate who now constitute a
majority of about five are determin-
ed that there shall be no short cut
to a constitutional convention,
neither do they intend that Gov.
Frazier shall unseat any of Gov.
Hanna's appointees whose time has
not expired.
The real test came through the
consideration of House Bill a., and
on other occasions when the govern
Or nominated an entire new board of
regents, and when he twice nomin-
ated Frank Packard to succeed him.
self as a member of the tax commits
sion- When it came to voting on
house bill "A the senate not only in
definitely postponed it., but put the
clincher on it in order that it might
get from its secure corner. In
both instances when Governor Fra
zier sent his appointees of board Of
regents to the senate for conirma-
ton, they were returned without
comment, and now that Packard's
name has been presented the second
time it is held up, though may be
considered later. 1t is a game of re-
turning like for like. The senate
and the house got by the ears short
ly after the opening of the session.
At one time the senate wanted to
adjourn for a week and was refused
permission by the house. Later the
house made a similar request of the
senate and were likewise refused.
However, the senate is not Dire wing
the line on matters which do not in
volve the League principles or, pur-
poses, and such legislation is going
along very smoothly, and the house
Is acting accordingly with measures
of the senate, but senate measures
which smack of a%nti-league intent
are raped over the head immedi-
ately. Hence, by reason of this con-
dition, there is little radical legtsla-
ton from either side of the leg!sla-
ture liable to go through. 1t is also
understood the senate will rot lis
ten to any proposition from the gov
ernor to touch the board Of control.
House Tables TwO-Cent Bill.
The act of the house, which, it
must be remembered, is strongly
Nonpartisan, in killing Staale Hen
drickson's two-cent railroad fare
bill, has created considerable COM
ment. No n seems to know just
what was the cause for so doing,
and in discussing it each one draws
his own conclusion. The principal
idea seems to be that the reason is
the same as it is for opposing SEN
ate bills which are proposed by the
stand-pat senators, because it was
not of League origin. Hendrickson
Is not with the league, and it Is
charged that it is that prejudice
which was at the bottom of it. This
was Hendrickson's pet bill and he is
much chagrined at the outcome. OF
course, there is a chance for recall
lg it at a later date, as it was mere
ly postponed, and should it be that
1t is held up for some reason which
may be disposed Of later, then the
bill may have a chance Of being re-
vived.
Killed Regent Bill.
House Bill IS, an administration
measure, was killed by a heavy ma
jority in the senate. It was Gov.
Frazier's plan to abolish the board
of regents and create a new board
by making the governor, superin-
tendent of public instruction and
three a%ppointees members Of the
new board. Only two members Of the
states affairs committee-Morkrid
and Hamerly-concurred in the mi
nority report, recommending the
bill to pass.
Senate's Twins Got Through.
The twin bills In the senate, 1T
and lis got by the senate with a
good margin. The former provided
for state-owned mills and the latter
for state-owned packing plants, but
were opposed by the Leaguers be-
cause they claimed the senate ma
1ority had introduced them just to
Joke the leaguers. But they got by
and have gone over to the house.