Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-09
Constitutional Amendments
Declared Passed By State
Board OF Canvassers

Declared Passed By State
Board OF Canvassers
Continued from Pagd ~
industries. they had q long way to 20.
particularly in view OF The pre.elec-
ZION declarations by President Town.
ley. by Chairman William Lemke Of
the Republican state central COM
mtttee andfmember Of the league OK
ecutive cotnmittee, and by the Social.
list newspapers.
A study Of the pre-election cam
paign literature is particularly en-
t!%ightening at this time In view Of the
st. Paul inspired opinion, produced
by the attorney general after it had
In n vain hope that 1t would not be
necessary to resort to it's use, the
league Socialists having hoped, even
UP to the last moment, hat by m
magic h figures would reveal actual
majorities for their amendments.
It might be said in passing that
the opinion addressed by Mr.. Lam
ger to the governor, announced at
bismarck late Saturday afternoon.
league leaders. Messrs. Lemke, Lee
Sueur and Manahan. at st. Paul about
three weeks arc, and that they had
subsequently, discussed the point with
several OF the oficials of the Nonpar-
tisan league in Fargo.
The provision, contained in. section
202 Of the state constitution, govern
ing in the case Of initiated amend
nents to the constitution, read that
"a majority of all the legal votes
cast at such general election" are
necessary to adopt an amendment, is
the one that the attorney general has
construed as not requiring a majority
of all votes cast in the election, but
merely a majority of the votes cast
upon each individual amendment.
The words of President Townley,
league members just prior to the cleo
ton. are at complete variance with
the position taken by his s%ervants in
this state.
In a letter published in The North
Dakota Leader. addressed to league
members. issue of October rs, over
his W. signature, Mr.. Townley said:
Sc the first thing you do, If you
want any state elevators. flour mills
and banks, is to vote yes and pass
these ten am 2nI It's a hard
OF ALL THE VOTES CAST FOR
GOVERNOR MUST VOTE YES ON
THE AMENDMENTS. That is. S.
900 vote for Frazier. and 5000 vote
for Doyle, and 10000 vote yes on the
amendments and 10000 vote no on
the amendments, the amendments
would not pass. All those who voted
at all on the amendments will be
counted mo, or against the amend
~nnents. That would make the vote on
the amendments 10000 yes and co.
900 mo- though only 10000 voted no
and the amendments wouldn't pass
and the league program. couldn't be
carried out. So you must vote yes
counted against them. All o have
to do to vote against thu amend
ments is to stay at home"
Further along in the same letter,
as q. final caution to the members,
Mr.. 'Townley says:
If you vote mo- or II you fail
to vote at all. you are counted against
the amendments"
Mr.. Townley, under date Of Octo-
Der 23, in a personal letter written
on the National Nonpartisan league
letterhead, and circulated by the
N~onpartisan league and through the
Republican state central committee,
tby William Lemke. again calls atten-
ton to the constitutional requirement
that his aides have today overriden.
He says In his personal letter OF Oc-
tiber %:
I am writing you this personal
! letter to urge you to make special ef-
y tort to pass the ten amendments to
the constitution. 1t is more Difficult
to pass these amendments than it is
ITO elect the league candidates.
First, because we, must get q ma
jority Of all the voters In the state
to vote yes on the amendments. II
a man votes for governor but doesn't
vote will be counted no. or against
the amendments. -
81: Remember, II any voter
doesn't vote yes on every amend
mont. he is counted no."
William Lemke, as chairman Of the
Republican state central committee,
in a pamphlet labeled THE Truth
ments." also deals with the constitu-
tional amendments initiated by petit
ton,
on page 16 Of that pamphlet, Mr..
Lemke says:
TN order to carry the constitution
al amendments MUST HAVE A MA
at all on these measures is helping
defeat them as much as the mar who
votes against them" @
Authorship Of the pamphlet is sci
forth in the following paragraph on
page l6-the last page of the
pamphlet:
North Dakota Republican state cen
> trail committee WHICH GUARAN-
TEES THE ENTIRE ACCURACY
OF AND ASSUMES FULL RESPON.
SIB1L1TY for each and every state.
ment herein contained"
The pamphlet was the joint work
Of William Lemke. as chairman OF
the Republican committee and lpo.
litical manager of the Nonpartisan
league, and one Walter Liggett Of St
Paul. the present editor Of the Social.
list daily in Fargo. who was brought
to the state to manage for the league
the campaign conducted under the
name of the Republican state central
committee.
Another circular. issued by the
INonpartisan league, labeled Cues
tons and Answers About the constt.
-