The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-01-13

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The reading of the bill by sections
was not completed yesterday, when
the house took recess until lOO'clock
this morning.
House Bill No. "A is the leagues
constitutional revision program re-
duced to concrete form. 1t does not
touch at all on equal suffrage, altho
the woman lobbyists at the capitol had
expected some concession; the prohi-
bition question is not tampered with.
Except in instances where the consti-
tuition must be changed to enable tho
Farmers Non-Partisan league to carry
out its program, the original draft
accepted in the fall of 1899, remains
practically unaltered. ...,& ~
The Nnb Of 1t. ~ %$'4
The test Of the revised constitution
will come on the new section -, upon
which the entire success of the league
program stands or falls. This section
reads, 49, ,s~, J. " W: WI, n "
"The right Of the state or any, polit-i
ical subdivision thereof to engage III
any occupation or business for public
purposes shall not be denied s.i5.s2
This is the section whose writing
into the constitution of North Dakota
Will enable the organization to carry
out its plan of state-ownership for,
packing plants, -four mills, terminal
elevators, state hail insurance and the
public ownership and operation Of
other utilities, such as railways, tele-
phone and telegraph companies, ex-
press companies, etc.
Boost Bonded Debt Limit,
Next in importance stand the Sec
tions increasing the states bonded
debt limit to half-million and enahl-
ing the commonwealth to invest its
funds in the bonds of public utilities.
Would Submit June 27.
The bill carries a clause providing
for its submission to the electors at q
special election to be held June ~,
1917. Should the revised constitution
be approved by this general assembly
and accepted by the people at the juno
election, it is understood that Cover.
nor Frazier will call a special session
OF the legislature, at which an effort
will be made to enact into law the
leagues specific measures.
Opposition Develops. r.
Even in the house, where tho league
has been conceded 80 Of 113 members.
serious opposition to the leagues plan
Of constitutional revision has develop.
ed. 1t is generally believed. however,
that the measure will succeed in OBJ
tanning the necessary two.thirds m.
jority in the lower chamber ii the ,
senate the real fight will come, and
there the fate Of the measure is very
dubious. Mass meetings have boen
called at Valley City. whence hail Sen.
ator Ployhar and Representative Carr,
and in other districts where the league
hopes that pressure may succeed In
influencing hold-over senators or in-
dependent members of the upper body
elected last November. The pufpoeo
Of these meetings is specifically stat
ed, and an effort is being made 70
make the demonstrations appear %
general as to frighten the senator. IL
10 line. The league, however, has II
The senate a very big handicap TO over.
come. 1t cannot at the most clsin
more than "a members Of that BODY.
md it must have seven more 70 ave
t the needed two-thirdS vote on tAdo
measure. ~
May Not Adjourn.
Because Of the crisis now impeal.
ing, it is rumorei today that -
league will Oppose the, original ~
If adjournment next Tuesday for u
balance Of tbe week. The leaSpo =
anxious for an early sAow down.
House bill mo a win Be ruShGa
through the house with all poeeihlo
speed, And then oil attention WIN .
on the insurgent ssaaAe.
m 1hs New Sections.
New, amended, or revised 80.
ions Of the constitutional draft =.
,odied In house bill No. a are:
Article l, Sec. 24.-The right of tie
tate or any political sub -diyisioa
hereof to engage in any occupatioa
r business for public purpose shan
lot be denied or prohibited.
Numbers of all sections adyaneG1
ne point.)
Article 2, Sec. 31.--Amended 9
cad: The senators elected % the yoar
91S shall Eold their once for to
ears, and ali those elected theteolear
g