The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-16
Doyle Bares Hidden
Meaning of League
Movement in Address
Continued from Page Four)

~
Movement in Address
CONTINUED from Page Four
political principles: The platform up
on which the candidates OF the non
partisan league were elected to Office
two years ago, and is the platform 0
the people the state had a right to ex
pect would govern the actions o
these candidates II elected l have
no doubt that most Of the candidate:
themselves honestly believed they
would be so governed.
g I'm this platform, which was the
Republican platform Of 1916, the yot
ers of the state were promised that
a normal school would be established
in the Missouri Slope country, in com
pliance with the wishes Of the people
as expressed at the polls and by two
previous legislative assemblies. This
promise was not kept. Likewise as
to the establishment Of terminal ell
evatOr. The present administration
was also elected on the promise that
there would be submitted to the PEG
pie a constitutional amendment pro
connection with terminal elevators
This promise was not kept. A com
pulsory hail insurance law was also
promised but not given, and so on
down the line. Messrs. TownIey
Lemke. LeSeuer, and the other gentle
men Of socialist faith, who controlled
the members of that legislative as
sembIy and the state administration
had an entirely different program than
the one that was given to the public
They caused to be drawn and intro
duced into the lower house meas.
ure known as House Bill "A, which
was in reality a new constitution for
the state of North Dakota. The con
stitution itself provides a specific man
ner in which it may be amended, but
at no time in the history of this coun-
try has anyone claimed that legis-
lative body, of it's own volition, could
convert itself into constitutional
But this is exactly what
the members of the 1917 legislative
assembly attempted to do. Every man
elected to public office In this state
takes oath, to uphold the constitu'
ton Of the state, and this oath, OF
course, was taken by every member of
that 1917 assembly.
Disregard Of Law BY Legislative
Body.
II contend that every member OF
the 1917 legislative assembly, who
voted for House Bill "A violated his
solemn oath of office, and l challenge
the members who so voted, or any
man who urged them to SO vote, to
contradict this statement and substan'
tiate the contradiction by facts and
proof. 1t will probably be argued
that these men were simply submit
ting to the people Of the state certain
amendments to be voted upon. But
this argument is entirely unsound, for
the reason that legislative assembly
can not legally submit to the people
COR ratification a measure which is
itself violation of the fundamental
law of the state. ~
The federal government. the
state government and the local
government 90 to a great deal
Of expense to maintain a depart
ment Of justice. They employ
Judges. prosecuting attorneys,
marshaIs, sheriffs. jurors and all
the necessary united to make UP
the machinery Of :he department
! Of Justice for the purpose Of en-
forcing the laws Of the state
and nation, and for the further
purpose Of furnishing those citi'
xens who disregard the laws. Now,
IL the law-making body itself does
not respect the law which is made
for the direction Of all the citi.
zens, how can we expect the ordi-
nary citizen to have any respect
for the law and order?
House Bill -.
"In reviewing House Bill Al. time
does not permit detailed discussion
of all it's provisions. l intend. how
ever. to touch briefly some of its pro
visions which it seems to me, If en-
acted into law, would result in In
Jury to the citizens of this state; ano
for the further reason that some OF
these same provisions are before the
voters for notifications or rejection al
the coming election.
~" Why Protect Railroads?
L section 141 of the present state
reads as follows: nc
railroad corporation Shall consolidate
its stock, property or franchise with
an yother railroad corporation own
ing parallel or competing line; ana
in no case shall any consolidation take
place except upon public notice. CIV
en- at least sixty days, to all stock
holders in such manner as may be pro
vided by law. Any attempt to evade
the provisions OF this section by any
railroad corporation by lease or other
wise shall work as forfeiture to its
charter ,.
"This section of our present constl
tuition was entirely omitted in the pro
posed constitution as presented IN
House Bill "A. Now, the question is
why? Most people will remember
the attempt of the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific railway companies tc
their interests under the single
known as the Northern
Company. which corpora
ton was dissolved by the courts. Now
what possible reason could these men
have for eliminating entirely from the
Of the state provision
solely for the purpose of regulating
railroad corporations within the state
and protecting the people against con
sOlidation and monopoly!
single Tax cunninoly Planned.
"Section 17S of our present constltu.
lion. relative to taxation is amended
In read as follows: