The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-17

tire Nonparsisans IN Thia stsss
Warnins.
! ton or business for public purposes
shall not be denied or prohibited
The present constitution contains
this provision.
Any amendment or amendments
to this constitution II the sans
shall be agreed 60 by q majority q,
the members elected 20 each OF ths
two houses shall be entered or
the journal Of the house with the
yeas and nays taken thereon. and re-
feTred TO the legislative assembly @
be chosen at the next general cleo
ton and IL I'm the legislative
assembly so next chosen as atcrH-
said such proposed Amendment or
amendments shall be agreed to by a
majority OF all the members elected
to each house. then il shall be the
duty OF the legislative assembly 70
submit such proposed amendment or
amendments to the people :"
The Nonpartisan plan. however,
wiped out that safeguard. Il pro-
posed that il the new constitution
received a majority in the 1917 legis-
latCre, ana was signed by the COVER
nor, it then should be submitted 60
that IL il received a majority OF the
votes cast upon the question IL should
become the constitution OF the state.
Supreme Courts Aetien.
This high handed procedure IN
doubtedly would have been reviewed
by the state supreme court: but. II
the judges elected by the league were
true to the promises they had made
during the campaign, the constitution
would have been upheld. It is hard
to believe that such decision would
have been made. but that was the
situation when house bin No. A pass
ed the assembly BY q strict party
vote.
Space win not permit Of a complete
analysis OF this Socialist constitution,
which had one purpose, the advance
ment, or supposed advancement Of
the fortunes OF the members OF the
league. Two changes which were
vitality important were the new Sec
ton, No. "a. quoted above, which gave
the state the right to enter into all
lines OF private business. and another
new section. No. 172, which removed
the debt limit in this manner.
Bonds Without Limit.
Section liz reads: The state, or
any political subdivision thereof, may
issue or guarantee the payment OF
bonds in excess Of the debt limit
specified in this article provided such
bonds are secured by first mortgages
upon real estate or upon property OF
public utilities or industries"
This section not only authorized the
issuance OF the state, county. town
ship, city, or village bonds without
limit for public utilities, enterprises.
or industries" but. in connection with
section 153. made the state school
fund a treasury from which these
bonds without limit, except the limit
of the fund, might be cashed.
The present constitution contains a
provision which safeguards public
funds by making the private use OF
such moneys an embezzlement. This
section was omitted entirely.
One Of the interesting develop
ments during the consideration Of this
constitution was the defiance OF eff
forts to place somo limit upon the
public debt. Members Of the legfs-
lature who pleaded for some limit
were told that ''the blue sky is the
limit"
Sees Another Danger.
The experience in North Dakota Is
Indicative OF the program contem-
plated in other states. OF more inn
portance at this period OF our nation
al history, however, Is the attitude
the Nonpartisan league takes on the
prosecution of the war. 1t proclaims
Its loyalty from the housetops, but ii
goes as near to the limit OF the law
as it dares. 1t has hampered the work
Of patriotic people and organizations
wherever its literature has been cir
not by bold statements which
might incur the punishment given to
convicted traitors, but bv insidious
carefully yelled, which have
an influence not to be underestimate
ed.