The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-02-22
D0INCS in THE
LEGISLATURE
Caterpillar Tank" Takes Place. of
Steam Roller in House to Facili-
tate Legislation.
(By 0. M. Thomason.) !.

DlSlHdTck, N. ~. FeD. 2U.-Ihe
steam roller is out Of date and dumped
into the discard. The latest is the
Caterpillar TANK" and it walks right
over 'em. The "tank" had it's first
real try-out Saturday. It's initial
trial walk" was made Friday and it
worked so satisfactory that few
more finishes and touches were added
and it was placed in full commission
Saturday afternoon. The way it
walked across the trenches, smashed
the barbed wire ENHANCEMENT and
plowed up the pits made standpat-
ters catch their breath and gasp in
amazement.
This new machine will not stand
for dilatory tactics, for grave dig
ging, long-winded oratorical contests
nor cock Growing to the gallery. It
is equipped with self starter, called
the "previous question" and is run by
an eighty horsepower engine. This
machine is guaranteed to see to it
that all bills are properly disposed Of
before the session closes on March 8.
It was by the use of this machine
that DR.. Ladd's patent medicine bill,
house bill 1913, was brought back to
things mundane after it had been
twice killed, buried and the last rites
administered and the tombstone set
up. 1t was the 'tank" that Senate
bill 81, the bill taking some of the blue
out of the blue laws by taking out Of
the operation of the law such innocent
incidents as buying Sunday news
paper, getting a "shine," treating
friend to a cigar, or hiring a taxi to
rush you to belated train on the Sab
bath day.
When senate bill 81 passed the
house, before the vote was announced,
however, there was a wild scramble
upon the part of several members to
duck for cover by changing their vote.
Enough stood by their guns, though,
to carry this bill by 76 to 10. On the
emergency several more members had
taken "cold feet" and the emergency
lost by II to 35, with II needed to
carry it. A few minutes later it was
discovered that the bill without the
emergency would put the attorney
in bad box and upon reconsideration
the emergency passed unanimously.
So that now we will continue to buy
cigars, newspapers, bon-bons and
soda water on Sunday, but will not
do it in. violation of law as we have
been doing heretofore. Pool halls, by
keeping their tables covered will be
permitted to sell cigars and such like.
Theatares will remain closed and
baseball is still outlawed.
Farmers Union Endorses League
The Farmers Educational Cooper
ative Union held it's county meeting
in Bismarck last week and passed a
set of resolutions which had no un-
mistakable ring. It protested against
any rush into war without first per-
mitting the people to vote on the ques-
ton, but pledged it's loyal support to
the United States in case of open hos
tilities; it endorsed the Nonpartisan
League members of the legislature
and other progressive members who
are working in sympathy and unison
with League members, to place upon
the statute books remedial legisla-
ton and deplored and condemned the
efforts of reactionary senator's and
representatives to block progressive
legislation, 'thereby proving their
servile allegiance to Big Business;"
and recommended the administration
of Governor Lynn ]. Frazier in his
earnest efforts to serve the best in
terests of all the people; recommend
ed to the Federal Government the
adoption of the "Ladd Test" as a
basis for grain grading and approved
the efforts of the legislature to estab-
lish state-owned terminal elevators,
mills and packing plants. It also con-
denmed the so-calley blue Sunday
laws and asked for more liberal Sun
day regulations.
AS evidence Of the hostile sentiment
held toward those who have blocked
the efforts of the majority of the leg
islature to pass remedial legisla-
ton may be seen in an incident
in the lobby of the Grand Pacific hotel
the other day. Senator H. w. Allen,
from Emmons and Kidder, walked ov-
er to r. j. Montgomery, president OF
the North Dakota Farmers Union
and extended his hand. Montgomery
refused to accept the poffered member
and remarked: "Mr. Allen, any man
who sides with others to deprive me,
even temporarily, from retaining the
products of my labor for myself and
family, as you have done in your ac-
ton on house bill A, is my enemy, and
/ will not accept his hand in token Of
friendship" Mr.. Allen thereupon dis
played cynical smile, tucked his tail
between his legs and wandered on in
search Of more congenial atmosphere.
Slipping One Over On Senate
Another interesting example Of how
the new 'tank" works is the case Of
house bill II. This measure is pat
termed after the Minnesota eastman