The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-01-11
LEAGUE Plan
CONSERVATIVE R
SAYS. 4 Y !. COATES c
Business Manager of Organization
Regards Convention Idea as
Most Radical
TWO CHECKS ON REVISION
IS DONE BY LEGISLATURE
Senate Majority Opposed to Pro.
gram and Voters Would
Both Have xay

" ~NA~
Both Have Say
The only conservative plan vet ad.
vanced for the revision of the consti-
tuition is the Non.Partisan league
scheme, declares D. C. Coates, general
manager for the organization, who to-.
day for the first time gave detailed
explanation of the procedure which
the league hopes to pursue
I'VE have adopted our program with
a view Of appealing to the conserva.
tive element in the senate" said Mr..
Coates, "and nothing could be safer
or saner than the scheme which we
propose. Compared with it, Mr.. Nc
Brides resolution is radical in the ex-
treme.
., v, How It Works Out.
"Our proposition is not difficult to
1t is not unreasonable,
certainly not dangerous. We do not
propose that the constitution be rip
ped to pieces and put together again.
All we ask is probably four amend
ments, required to enable us to put
through the program for: which a ma.
jority of North Dakota's people have
gone on record. The remainder Of
the constitution would be left untouch-
ed. There is no reason why ang clause
affecting. the trust funds .p1, i, tbe s..t;tate
should be tampered with; none why
the prohibition provision should be
touched at ALL
Senate Would Act as Check.
"Our idea is not to resolve the leg
islature into a convention. nor to in
veigle the senate into Joint session,
where we would have control, but to
introduce bill for the submission OF
our amendments, as revisions of the
constitution, and this bill would be in.
troduced in the usual way and passed
upon in the usual way. Nothing this
bill contained could get by without
final approval from a majority Of the
senate, and so long as the senate ma
jority is conservative, there is no rea-
son why the interests of that element
should not be fully protected.
Would ee Done in the Open.
I'm this way, the revision of the con-
stitution would be done in the open;
the chance of a joker to get through
would be very slim; the people would
know at all times what was being done
and the people finally would have the
deciding voice, when the constitution,
as revised, is submitted to them for
acceptance or rejection.
Cculd Control Convention?
III We wanted to be really radical
we would insist upon this question 60
ing before a constitutional convention
of delegates by the people, for there is
nothing more certain than that the
league, with the people in their pres
ent temper, can elect two-thirds of the
members of such convention. This
would place the league in position
to write, into the constitution anything
it stands for.
Want to Play Fair.
"Our purpose in asking for revi-
sion of the constitution by legisla-
ture which is evenly divided as be-
tween the league and the conserva-
tives is to show the business interests
that we desire to play fair. 1t is not
our intention to 60 into a wholesale
building of state.owned public utilities
We do want an opportunity to try out,
one at a time, the projects for which
the league stands. We do not want to
squander the states money, nor do we
intend to increase the tax rate one
penny"
Equity Can Have Plant.
Mr.. Coates intimated that it is the
intention of the league to allow the
Equity to give it's cooperative pack
ing plant thorough try-out and prove
It's success before this enterprise is
taken over by the state. He also ex-
pressed the opinion that compromise
will be effected with the senate by
which the league will be enabled to
get early action upon the constitution
al amendments in which 1t Is chiefly
New Plan 10 Rumor.
The Non Partisan league leaders
plans for / constitutional convention
rave been abandoned, it was believed
" political observers here today. The
proposed calling of a convention as set
.orth in an agreement signed by SO
Members Of the house is giving way to
. newly announced plan under which
he whole constitutional revision ques-
ion will be placed directly before the
tate assembly, coupled with = resolu-
ion for submitting the proposed new
at a special election in
June f-.t
Albert E. Bowen, clerk Of the house,
setting forth the details Of the chang
ID program in an interview this morn
ng, said: THE legislature is ,empoW-
rod ve are advised, to draft com
1Continued O pagot two.)