Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-07
ALL LEAGUE
AMENDMENTS
But one LOST
steen Announces Their De
feat, but Bill Lemke
Denies It.

league amendments initiated at the
recent election, with the exception of
that changing the initiative and ref
erendum clause Of the constitution
and the hail amendment, are lost"
declared State Treasurer John Steen,
chairman of the state canvassing
board, when that body had completed
its canvass of the official vote from So
counties and the semi-official vote
from the one remaining county last
night.
["All, of the amendments are I'M
doubtedly legally carried" said Will
liam Lemke Of st. Paul, chairman of
the Republican state central commit
tee of North Dakota. Mr.. Lemke
made this statement before the results
had been reported to the state can
wasting board. He reiterated it after
the returns had been totaled up. In
ly," and both times he maintained a
cryptic silence when asked to explain
his statement.
Chairman Steen Of the state can-
wasting board was at a loss to explain
how Chairman Lemke arrived at his
conclusion. Mr.. Lemke went so far
as to say that he did not know what
attitude the state ~canvassers would
take and that he made his declara-
ton without regard to the opinion Of
the courts on the matter. "The
yond a doubt. That is what I have
commended all the time," Lemke as
serted as a finale.
H., Contest May Develop.
Someone suggested that Lemke
based his statement on knowledge
that the state canvassing board, in
spite Of the fact that the five amend
ments embodying the leagues eco
nomic program all failed to secure a
majority Of all the votes cast at the
recent election, would declare the
amendments carried.
eff such an attempt is made" said
Chairman Steen, Il will do what
can to block it. I don't know how far
I can succeed. for the league mem
bers of the canvassinE board outnum-
action is contemplated. Under the
wording of the law, which plainly re-
quires a majority of all the votes
cast, I do not see how it can be-"
The whole number of votes cast
using the vote on governor from
Wells county, which has made no of.
fetal returns, is. 94,O27. The vote
necessary to a majority is 47,014.
The vote on the league amendments
as ~canvassed yesterday u
Initiative and Referendum-Yes, 49,
248; no, 32,598; carried.
Emergency Measures-Yes, 46,121;
no, 32,507; lost.
Constitutional Amendments - Yes
45,329; no, 33,572; lost.
Taxation (single tax)-Yes. 46,824;
no, 33,624; lost.
Hail Insurance-Yes. 1876; no
31,186; lost.
Removing Debt Limit-Yes, 4e,275
no, 34,235; lost.
Public Ownership-Yes, 46,S30; no
32.574; lost.
Messenger to Wells.
Deputy State Auditor o. b. Lunt
was named a special messenger to e
to Fessenden, at the expense of Well:
county, to bring in the official alb
stract of votes in that county. Mr.
Lund left the capital last evening, ex'
pecting to return not until Monday
The state canvassing board adjourned
until today, with the probability thai
it would be necessary to adjourn
again until Monday, to await the re
turn Of Mr.. Lund.
The law provides that state car
wasting boards may adjourn three
days from the first date of meeting
December 8, and that a further ad'
tnen may be taken Wnen ]
proves necessary to dispatch a specia
messenger for belated returns. Thi
fact may enable a few more soldier
votes to get in under the wire. In the
official anvass yesterday the vote
from the So counties did not average
more than yer or eight to a county
or 400 soldier votes FOR the state, a
the outside.
The three constitutional amend
ments referred by the legislature al
carried at the recent election ant
automatically become a part Of tn
constitution. The vote was as fol
lows: Defining privileges, OF cor
p%orations, yes, 1882; no, 32,053. Re
quiring a four-fifths decision Of tn,
supreme court to declare a law un'
constitutional, yes, 52,678; no, 2S,486
State hail insurance, yes, STATS; no
30,257.
1t will not be necessary to resurrec
House Bill a., say Chairman Lemke
standing pat on his contention tina
the league amendments have carried
lie expressed ignorance as to tn
plans Of the next legislature with re
gard to carrying out the league pro
gram by. legislation providing for
single tax, for the guaranteeing o
bonds of state-owned public utilities
and making the sky the limit fol
public Indebtedness.
nunLa Gave Toxvulo.,