The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-10-09

Governor Frazier Of North Dakota de-
clared that he could see no reason
why the state of North Dakota should
not bond itself for $500, 900, as he
did in addressing the Nonpartisan
league secret caucus at Bismarck dur,
ing the last legislative session, he
proposed the creation OF debt that
would require the payment in taxes
each year Of $l5 100000 to meet the in
terest alone, while another $l5,000,O00
would have to be- paid each year to
retire the bonds, making an annual
tax bill of $3O,0O0,000, or Is times
greater than the annual tax bill of
the state before the present admins
tratiOn went into power.
A. G. Divet, prominent Republican
leader who. has taken the stump ir
support of S. j. Doyle for governor, so
declared in an interview here last
evening. ...
Mr.. Divet analyzed the Socialist
plan for amending the constitution Of
North Dakota on the basis of debt
without limit as attempted during
the last session Of the legislature in
connection with the effort to pass
House ELL "A, and as again proposed
in the form of con institutional amend
ments. 49,
The speaker also pointed out the ex-
perience OF central east states, and
counties with debt without limit" ="
and with constitutional provisions
that permitted the levying of taxes for
purposes other than public: just as
was proposed by the Socialist house
bill No. A, and as again proposed in
amendments that will be voted upon In
November
Money for Public Purposes. & "
"Sec 1S5 of our constitution pro
tects the people of the state from the
folly or dishonesty of any particular
legislature or any. particular set OF
state officers, by the following provis-
ion," said Mr.. Divet.
Neither the state or any county,
city, townships town, school district, or
any other political subdivision shall
loan or. give it's credit or Mako Do
NATIONS TO OR IN ALL Or ANY IN
DIVIDUAL. ASSOCIATION OR CIA.-
...,... a.. .,>s..
s,,,s''The reason for this or similar pro-
visions in all late constitutions is that
during a a.period of time from 60 to
about 80 years ago, the officers OF ci-
ties, counties, townships, and states
in the east and central part Of the
country rushed to the aid of all kinds
of financial schemes for the develop
ment of railroads, canals cotton gins.
sugar factories, etc, and financed
them. by the making Of donations. ad-
vancing moneyion the security OF their
plants, or guaranteeing the payments
of their Indebtedness. AS a result OF
these ventures states were burdened
with large debts. and townships, coun-
ties and cities were practically bank
rupt. Profiting by these experiences
the newer states guarded against the
danger by providing in their constitu-
tions that the Indebtedness should be
limited in amount and that under no
circumstances should either the state
or the local municipalities aid private
corporations or individuals by loaning
the money or guaranteeing the pay
ment of their debts. The best proof
of the fact is that several legislatures
have passed proposed amendments for
the increase of the deot limit, which
amendments have always been defeat.
ed by vote of the people The legis-
latures have passed such amendments
in an endeavor to obtain the right to
incur greater, debts would have by rea-
son Of the same necessity incurred the
debts il the constitution had not pro-
hibited it. 1t was only its iron bands
that restrained them. Looking to this
wonderful instrument we are cursed
for not passing we find all that protec-
tion banished and the.section in ques.
tion supplanted by Section ~ of the
new constitution (Sec. 173 in some of
the printed copies the discrepancy
coming aboute by reason of the fact
that there was reprint and the Sec
tion numbers did not correspond in the