The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-26
Vote Reached After Three
Hours Debate on the
Committees Report
MEASURE NOW
IN CONFERENCE
Senate Amendments to
Council of Defense Bill
Create Commission
(Ru h. D. PauIson.l


Bismarck, n. D., Jan. 26.-Legis-
lation that will permit soldiers
abroad to participate in elections Oc-
cupied three hours time in the house
today. The house finally passing the
leagues measure for sending a COM
mission to Europe to take the SOL
dier's ballots, league leaders on the
floor frankly admitting the measure
was faulty in several respects, but
anticipating amendments in the SEN
ate with the expectation that the
whole issue finally will be threshed
out in conference.
Bills by Reishus, amending the
absent voter act in such manner as
TO permit the adoption Of the state s
present plan of permitting absent
voters to participate in elections,
were killed by the house, league men
being opposed to them.
Only Reishus voted against the
league measures, others who opposed
the commission principle voting for
III in hope that the senate will pres
ent a workable and satisfactory
measure.
The debate was opened when three
bills were reported by the elections
committee. the commission act being
amended and recommended for pass
age, while amendments to the absent
voter act were recommended lot
indefinite postponement
a.@ O'connor Opposes Plan.
OConnor Of Grand Forks, opening
the debate, declared himself opposed
to the commission plan as awkward
and cumbersome, insisting, too, that
the provision of holding elections on
foreign soil on a date after the gem
eral election date in the state Is I'M
constitutional.
r OConnor declared his belief that
the house was seeking earnestly to
obtain the best possible bill ana
maintained the assembly faced the
real test of democracy in extending
the ballot to me non the lighting
line. Provision whereby the holding
or elections abroad is made dis
cretionary with the commission, was
also condemned by O'OCnnor, who
said the assembly could not possibly
put itself in the position of delegat-
ing such authority to three men. The
address was loudly applauded:
Cole Supports League Bill.
Cole, Of Cass, COntending for the
passage OF the league bill, advanced
the argument that no court would
declare the act unconstitutional I'M
der war conditions. Cole said New
York used the commission law at
the border, the governors secretary
carrying the ballots.
Representative Church thought
comparatively few soldiers would
vote if left to do so under the absent
voter act, while the commission
would get more ballots.
Send the Bill To Conference.
Maddox, Of Mountrail, advanced
the theory that the measures be re-
committed TO the committee, and ac-
Cepted another proposal that the
measure be passed and sent to the
senate with a view to placing the
problem before a conference commit
tee.
Tennlson supported the amend
ments to the absent voter act as
most acceptable.
Senate Amends Defense Council Bill. !
The senate state affairs committee
today reported the house council Of
defense bill with amendments that
take the power Of appointment from
the governor and create a commits
sion made up Of the governor as
chairman, commissioner OF agTicul- |
turs as secretary and all district
court judges members. The senators
also made changes that would re-
move possibility Of Red Cross and Y.
NJ. g. A. coming under control of
council
Senate amendments to the house |
grain bonding law to remove the (
proposed state guaranty Of county
bonds, makes selling Of bonds OPP
tional with the county and tightens
up county's security for grain loans. |