The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-26
FRAZIER BOARD.
TO GUARD VOTE |
FROM HUN SUBS
Church Advances Novel Argument
in Favor of Patterson's
Ballot Bill.
BOYS DON'T WANT 1T-C0LE
Nonpartisan Member from Cass
Says It's Mere Matter
of Sentiment.
BOYS DON'T WANT IT-COLE
$4,000 GRAB BILL PASSES.


The leagues soldiers voting bill
introduced by Patterson passed
the house this afternoon by vote
Of 80 to I, the only negative voter
being Reishus whose two bills on
the same subject were killed in
committee on elections.
The bill was passed with admis-
sions from the league members
that it was not entirely satisfac.
tory and with the understanding !,
that it would probably 90 into ~
conference committee for further e
repairs after. it reached the ser- 2
ate. ........ ..&.. -. = =:
The determination of the league
majority in the house to force the &C.
ceptance of its soldiers voting bill,
carrying an appropriation of $10, 900 TO
finance commission to be named by
the governor and which may exercise
its own discretion as to the soldiers
who will be given right to vote was
made evident this morning when the
elections committee, headed by A. ~
Hagan, again reported out for passage
Rep. Patterson's league bill and rec.
commended the indefinite postpone
ment of Rep. Reishus' two bills, which
would enable soldiers in foreign ser.
vice to vote by mail. y&ss. ~ :
The league committee on. elections
and election privileges did not COM
plete it's deliberations until after IL
o'clock, and the session, called for 10,
killed time for more than an hour.
The league bill came back in practic.
ally the same form in which 1t was SIRE
jected Friday. The only important
amendment provided for the holding
OF elections by the voting commission
25 days next prior to or 2o days next
succeeding any primary election, in
stead of ten and five days, as origin
ally set, and, for holding such elec.
tions Is days prior to any general cleo
ton or within five days next succeed.
ing. Chairman A. M. Hagen moved the
adoption of the committees report.
High Principle Involved.
Speaking on the three bills, Rep. J.
F. T. O'Connor declared, involved In
these measures the highest. principle
of democratic government; the prin.
ciple which brought America into this
world war, which are the extension to
all the peoples of the world a demo.
cratic form of government.
This is the first time an attempt
has ever been made to extend vote
to soldiers fighting on foreign SOIL"
declared O'Connor. We are asked to
consider the rights as citizens Of the
men most entitled at this time to con-
sideration, the sons Of men In this as
sembly, the very best blood Of North
Dakota, the ten thousand soldiers who
perhaps this very night, as we sit
deliberating here, are preparing to 60
over the top in France.
Against Commission Idea.
II don't believe the commission plan
proposed in House Bill II will work
satisfactorily. 1t might have worked
when our boys were on the Mexican
border, all within comparatively short
distance of one another. 1t cannot
work today when we have thousands
of boys in England, thousands In
France; thousands who have volun-
teered in various branches Of the SER
vice and who are in the Philippines,
in Hawaii and in other possessions
scattered through every land.
Furthermore, this bill makes 1t
discretionary with this commission OF
three men as to whether these boys
shall be given vote-it is left with
them to say whether the boys In
France or in Italy or in England shall
vote, or whether only those in one of
these countries shall cast their bal.
lots. The commission can operate
only in limited space. The plan Is
cumbersome, awkward, unwieldy.
LET us leave the discretion with
the man who has the right to vote and
not with any two men who would form
a mojority of this commission. Sec
tion 4, providing for elections on diff
ferent dates and in different places
outside of the safe is, believe, uln-
constitutional.
Can Get BY Censor.
II understand the principal. objec'
tion raised to House Ellis Is and ls
is that the ballots might not get By
| the censor. / am sure that IL these
ballots were placed in m envelope, OF
ficially stamped by the commandtnl
orncer in charge, to show their col,
tents, that they would not - inter
ferefl With. am 0Ouillv certain tthAl