The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-01-18
Bismarck, N. u. Jan 1.-THE

NOnpartlSan League nred It's
big gun in the house of Repre-
sentatives the last Of the week
when there was introduced in
the house, by Representative
A. NJ. Hagan of Bottineau
county, house bill No. II, be-
ing a resolution proposing to
submit to the people a redraft
of the state constitution.
This was taken as the Lea
gue's reply to the Mcbride re.
solution introduced earlier in
the week providing that a
special election be held in June
to let the people vote on the
question whether or not they
wanted constitutional con-
vention. If decided in the affir-
native lhey are to elect dele
gates to said constit utional con-
vention in November 1917.
Such delegates are to meet in a
not-less. than-a-44 days sessions
in July 1918 and draw up d re-
vision of the constitution which
shall be submitted to the people
in November 1918 and if the
document is there approx ed it
shall take effect in July 1919.
The objections urged by t1e
League members to the Nc
Bride plan are that it is need
lessly circuitous, unnecessarily
delays action and is uselessly
expensive. 1t calls for three
special elections, a 45- day sess-
ion of a constitutional convent
ion and the results will be no
different. The League plan is
quick, simple, direct and econo-
mical.
The reading of the proposed
draft was a disappointment to
those who had yelled, 'radica
lisn! destruction of our sacred
institutions and revolutionary
tendencies!' 1t produced a
calm rather thana storm. The
proposed changes were so few
and so mild that as the reading
progressed the few members in
the house and spectators in the
gallery who had feared that
our state would be turned up
side down, that all our rights,
liberties and privileges would
be abrogated and that capital
would take the wings of the
morning and flee to parts un-
known, actually settled down
in their seats and appeared to
feel that our state was in pretty
safe hands after all. The pro-
posed changes were so reason
able and so much in keeping
with the spirit of the time and
the progress of the age that
they actually appeared conserv-
alive to the most reactionary
standpatter. According to the
new draft the state of North
Dakota will yet remain a part
of the Western Hemisphere,
will still recognize the right OF
free speech and free assetnblag &c
and allow people to worship
God under, each one. his own
vine and fig tree aud refrain
from taking unto hiuself more
wives then he wants!
Not only so but it will still
recognize that all men are by
nature equally free and indie
pendent and have certain in
alienable rights, and that all
political power IS inherent in
the people, and that the govern.
ment is instituted for the pro
lection, security and benefit of
the people, and that they have
a RIGHT TO ALTER OR RE
FORM THE SAME WHEN
EVER THE PUBLIC GOOD
MAY REQUIRE.
That the readers of the Cour-
ant may know just what
changes are proposed in the
new draft they are here set
down in the order in which
they occur.
The new amended and revis-
ed sections of the constitution
al draft embodied in house bill
No. A, are:
Article !, Section 24.-The
right of the state or any politi.
cal subdivision thereof to en-.
gage in any occupation or busi-
ness for public purposes shall
not be denied or prohibited.
Article 2, Sec. 31.-Amended
to read: Senators elected in the
year 1918 shall hold their office
for two years, and all those
elected thereafter for term OF
four years.