The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-12-07
MAKES
CONSTITUTION
SCRAP O. PAPER
Goes Back to Statute of 1892 for
Authority to Pass Its
Amendments
ABRUPT CHANGE OF FACE
TOwnley and Lemke had Upheld
Constitutional Provision
Before Election
ABRUPT CHANGE OF FACE

The league members of the state
canvassing board, with the exception
Of Secretary Of State Hall, |. e., AttOr-
ney General LANCER, Superintendent OF
Public Instruction n c. Macdonald
and State Auditor Karl kositZky, ig'
noring Chapter 16 of the constitution,
which is the initiative and referendum
amendment adopted four years ago,
and taking as their authority Sec. 1925
of the compiled laws of 1892, legis-
lative enactment antedating by %
years the adoption of the initiative
and referendum, will join Monday
in @ resolution declaring all of the
league amendments initiated at the re-
cent election passed by majority OF
the votes of the voters balloting there
for.
A minority report which will be
signed by State Treasurer John Steen,
chairman of the board, and by Secre-
tary of State Thomas Hall, secretary
of the board, will adhere to the pro-
visions of the initiative amendment
to the constitution, requiring that
proposed amendments initiated at any
general election can carry only by a
majority Of all the legal votes cast at
such election, and will declare the
five amendments embodying the
leagues economic program lost.
Board to Finish Work.
This announcement, made early this
afternoon by member of the board
explains the insistence Of Chairman
William Lemke OF the socialist state
central committee upon his conten
| tion that allaleague amendments had
illegally" passed. The board met at
8, this afternoon and adjourned un
til 10:30 Monday morning to await
report of the abstract from Wells
county which would be sent II
by Deputy State Auditor O. B.
Lund, dispatched to Fessenden last
night as a special messenger Of the
state canvassing board to bring in the
belated returns from Wells.
Abrupt Change Of Face.
Today's announcement was the first
positive intimation of the line OF. ac
ton which the league intends to pur
sue in an endeavor to save it's amend
ments from defeat. That some such
action was contemplated was lndl-
Gated in a CourierANews editorial
printed the day the defeat OF the
amendments was made certain by
semi.official returns. The Courier
News then contended that majority
of the votes cast on the question
should be the determining factor, and
predicted that the courts would ulti
mately decide the issue.
Until these semi-official returns
came in, the league, including Presi
dent Townley, Chairma n William
Lemke of the state central commit
tee, the North Dakota Leader and 9th
er organs, had been content to abide
by the provisions of the constitution
al amendment. under which the
leagues proposed amendments were
initiated.
During the last %<npaign, the IKE
publican" state centr!S committee is
sued a little pamphlet entitled
TRUTH on Page Is Of which league
voters were informed that in order
to carry the constitutional amend
ments we must have majority OF all
the votes cast; a.citizen who does not
vote for the amendments is voting
against them"
Last October President A. G. Town
CONTINUED on Page Two.)