The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-08-15

Forty-ninth Legislative District
Believes Program Should Be
Carried to Logical Con.
y clusion
When the. republican state central
committee Of North Dakota. of which
William Lemke of st. Paul, one Of A.
C. Townley's chief Meutenants in the
Nonpartisan league, is chairman,
meets at the capital September 8 to
frame . platform upon which league
candidates for state, office will make
their campaign, it A'ill find at least
one district delegate pledged to the
Incorporation Of q plank In this plat
form advocating the state ownership
of farm lands. horses, cattle and ma
chinery, the same to be acquired oh
the basis of values for the three years
Immediately preceding the war;
The 49th legislative district, COM
posed of Hettinger and Adams coun-
ties, in selecting Attorney P. B. Gar
berg, states attorney of Adams coun'
ty, to be its delegate to the state con-
vention, instructed him to advocate
the adoption Of this plank. 1t also
bound its representative in the state
legislature to the same policy. It 10
believed proba BILE that other districts
where the league control was more
nearly absolute, also issued similar
instructions, but tat the precinct
committmen were pledged to silence
on the, matter. In the 49th district,
the convention was q rather stormy
session, with Hettinger county spnt
square through the middle on the
public-ownership proposition. and the me
news leaked out Z. :, \. ST,
How lt Can es Done.
This plank 10 st9nlfl lcant when Ia
Ken In conjunction with proposed
amendme ent to Sec. 1856 Of the state
constitution which "authorizes the
state, any county Or city to make IN.
ternal improvements; or to engage In
any industry, entsfDfite or Business
not prohibited by article 20 of the con.
stituti0n,' and with another proposed
amendment which changes the state
debt limit from 100000 to read as
follows: THAT all bonds In excess ol
$4,000, 900 shall be secured by first
mortgages upon real estate in amounts
not to exceed one,half Of its value; or
upon real or personal property or
state-owned utilities, enterprises or In
dustries, In amounts not exceeding Us
value, and provided, further, that the
state shall not issue or guarantee
bonds upon property OF stateoWned
utilities. enterprises or industries IN
excess OF ten million dollars"
These two amendments, with eight
others, will be submitted to the voters
at the November election through an
Initiative petition signed by sS'ooo
voters, unless court action similar to
that taken in the New Rockford cap
ital removal case should prevent. In
this matter, the secretary was man
damused to prevent his placing on the
ballot an amendment removing the
capitol site from Bismarck to New
Rockford. The initiative amendment
to the constitution, under which THIS
issue was submitted, was attacked on
the grounds that It was not seiexact'
ing, in that it afforded no proper ma.
chinery through which propositions IN.
itiated by the people could be place
ON the ballot. The court upheld this
contention, and that decision stlll
stands. !.
When league managers brought to
the secretary of states office some
months ago several trunks filled with
initiative petitions asking that the
ten cardinal points of House Bhl "a,
the leagues famous s0-called sociailst
constitution, be submitted the secre'
tary asked Attorney General LANCER
for an opinion as to the former
rights under the supreme court ae-
cision in the capital removal case. Tne
attorney general declined to rule up.
on the matter, and when the date
came for advertising constitutional! y
amendments, Secretary Of State Han
included the "Soul Of House Bill -
along with seven others. Mr. Hall
stated in explanation of his act tnal
he did not care to take upon nus
shoulders responsibility for thwartins
the EXPRESSED will Of $4,000 electors;
this being the number Of signatures
winch appear Gu Ou IAC AAlcAoeA'S 80
tiOn.
Unless there is; successful legal IN
reference, the ten amepdments EN-
vodying the leagues ideas of moa.
ern constitution will go on the ballot
in, November. They undoubtedly will
be approved, If submitted, and will 60
to the legislature in January for rati
fication. If bill providing for the
purchase of all the farm lands and
livestock and machinery in the state
a project involving an investment OF
something over a billion dollars
should then come before the legisia
ture, which in all probability will be
entirely controlled by the league, the
way will have been paved for action
-puv W. S. S.
TO TAKE OVER EXPORTS.
A Russian syndicate has been
formed to take over the whole OF the
imports and exports Of Russia. Ex
port viii be based the, license sys
tenn. bsBrahch offices area t6p be estab
ltshed in America, England and Scan
dinavia.