The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1918-10-25
SAYS BONDING PLAN Is
VAGUE AND INDEFINITE
lURIST DOES NOT BELIEVE PEO-
PIE SHOULD BE ASKED TO
VOTE IN THE DARK

years ago by vote only second to
that of Governor Frazier, and whose
independence of thought and action
have time and again been found dis
concerting by the league managers.
Seven Of Ten Are Bad
Seven of them," continued
Justice Robinson, in his Saturday
Evening Letter, which for the last
two years has been featured by
The Bismarck Tribune, "are by in
itiaive petition; three by the leg
islative assembly. AFTER CARE
Full CONSIDERATION DO
ADVISE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST ,
ALL OF THEM EXCEPTING
THESE THREE:
Il. The initiative and referen-
dun as applied to legislation.
"2, The constitutional amend
ments, or the manner of amending
the constitution.
"3. Public ownership of indus
tries" x
Old House: Bill" ~
+ The league is proposing for the ap-
proval Of the electors at the November,
election 8 ten constitutional amend
tments seven Of which embody the:
'ssonl Ianass famous
sieagsuaS III t6sll
last general s assemb1y soug d legis4
late q new const ion fors NorthsDa-
.kota. These amendments have been
attacked from many sides, but the
league managers, apparently, were
wholly unprepared for flank attack
from one of their own generals, who
only recently joined in the majority
Nonpartisan league supreme court
Justices opinion holding that these
amendments should be given place
on the ballot. This opinion reversed
a unanimous ruling of the North Da-
kota supreme court in 1916 holding
that the initiative amendment to the
constitution under which the league
sought to place it's seven amendments
on the ballot was imperative and not
self-executing. -. =,
Few Can Suspend All Laws
Justice Robinson proceeds to discuss
the leagues socialistic program in his
Saturday Evening Letter in today's
Tribune as follows:
Under the first two amend
ments it will be much easier for
the people to make and amend the
laws and the constitution. To the
first measure there is just one OBJ
lection. 1t provides that 1000
electors at large may by refer
endum petition suspend the op-
Grafton of any measure enacted by
the legislature, excepting on emer-
gency measure. That makes it too
easy for few dissatisfied voters
to suspend the operation of nearly
" all legislation. 1t is a serious de-
feet which it will be necessary to
remedy in two years.
, "The public ownership amendment
is by far the most important of the
whole bunch Under it the state, each
county and each city may engage in
any industry, enterprise or business,
the same as a natural person. 1t may
learn to make an honest existence in
stead of forever remaining beggar,
ia nursing or tyrant exacting trib-
ute from the people. If the state cor
lporation cannot learn to live or exist
the same as other corporations, the
same as New Zealand-without levy
Ing tribute, it deserves to perish from
the earth. +. =
Ss#, =, The Bonding Amendment ~
rs II "The purpose of the bonding amend
5ment is good and beneficent but it is
subject to- several objections: It Is
too vague and indefinite; its meaning
lis not obvious; its limitations are open
to dispute. j. 1t tseems to, contemplate
( the mortgaging of state property and
public utilities when there is no oc-
scasion for. a state, county or city, to
mortgage any Of its property. It does
neither describe the bonds to be issued
Continued On Page ~