The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-12-19
READY FOR
GREAT REFORMS
AMENDMENTS NOW DE-
CLARED PASSED OPEN
ROAD FOR PROGRAM.

North Dakota, which enable the
majority of the voters there to
carry out their plans for better
democracy, have passed. This
has been officially declared by
the state canvassing board.
From the day after election
there has been no doubt that the
amendments received a major
ity of the votes cast on them.
Final count shows majority of
form $4,000 to 10000 for each
measure in a total vote of less
than 10000. But taking advan-
tage of court decision in Mimi
esota to the effect that an
amendment to the constitution
had to have a majority of all
votes cast, the special interests
and their press have widely pro-
claimed the failure of half if not
all the amendments in North
Dakota. The object of this was
to give the people outside Of
North Dakota the false impress
ion that the league farmers had
rejected their own program. The
Minnesota decision, of course,
has no bearing in North Dakota,
and that state, as we'll as South
Dakota and Wisconsin, have de-
cisions of long standing holding
that only a majority of those
voting on the measure is needed.
Ready For Reform |
North Dakota, consequently,
is now ready to put into law
what has been the will of the
people for over six years and
and what venal politicians and
cleverly designed constitutional
limitations have prevented up to
now and would have prevented
indefinitely had it not been for
the great League revolt. In 1912
the voters of North Dakota de-
eclared for state-owned elevators
and mills by a four to one vote
This was declared unconstitu-
tional. In 1914 they amended the
constitutional to allow this meas.
ure by a four to one vote. This
was again thwarted by the poll.
icians, who failed to enact the
necessary legislation. Then the
League captured the 1916 cleo
ton, and the measure was again
thwarted by the holdover sena-
tors.
Now the holdover senator's
have been routed. A majority of
the supreme court is responsible
to the people only for election.
The constitution has been defin-
itely amended. The voters have
thus cleared out all the special
privilege nests, and the, state
embarks on new legislation for
the common people which will
set the pace for the whole ma
ton. +
Amendments Fundamental
The fundamental character of
the reforms which North Dako-
to is to initiate may be judged
from the amendments passed.
Important limitations to the or
ganization of cooperative COM
panies are removed. The legisla-
ture is allowed to establish a
state-managed hail insurance
system and to levy a flat land
tax on u1.i.4. ,.o;.a as wei as i'm
proved land to cover part of the
cost after precedent set by the
Canadian laws. Four of the five
judges of the state supreme
court are declared necessary to
declare a law unconstitutional.
A very democratic initiative and
referendum has been provided.
The methods of amending the
constitution are made easier.
Another amendment allows the
legislature to exempt improve
ments and personal property
from taxation. The debt limit of
the state is raised from the alb
surd limit of 100000 to allow
for the building of the contem-
plated state-owned enterprises.
The state will be able also, it is
thought, to relieve some of the
excess interest burden of it's
farmers by a financial system
made possible by this amend
ment. Another amendment al
lows the county and city, prac-
tically for the first time, to own
public utilities and to make inn
provements by direct labor.
Basis For Decision
The decision of the canvassing
(COntinued on Dape 4.l