Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-02-27
{ State Capital News ]

0ldiC III 1ltM NEWS !
s~>>e~e%>%~~~~&~>~e~@eee%
Bismarck, N. D., Feb. 17.-Consid-
ernble progress was made in the de-
velopment Of the Nonpartisan league
program during the past week, so far
as legislative action Is concerned,
though 1t appears to be conceded now
that the session will probably be ex-
tended through the full constitutional
period Of sixty days before the work
is in shape to permit It to adjourn.
Among the more significant meas
ures on which progress has been made
are the following:
House Passes Important Bills
The public utilities measure, or
iginating in the house and placing all
public utilities and service corpora
tons directly under the control of the
state railroad commission, passed the
house Tuesday by a vote Of IS to %,
and the emergency clause was attach
ed. on roll call which netted the
bill 81 to %.
Industrial Commission Act
The industrial commission bill,
known as the parent measure in the
league program, was up for the at
tention Of the house Thursday and
passed that body by exactly two
thirds majority, the vote standing IA
to 81. which makes the emergency
clause operative. This is the bill
which provides for the establishment
Of state owned flour mills, terminal
elevators and such other Industrial
projects as the state may elect to
undertake. 1t is house measure
and will require the favorable action
of the senate before 1t goes to the
governor for his approval and is ready
to become law.
Creating Bank Of North Dakota
BY exactly the same vote us that
given the industrial commission bill,
the house ON the same day gave final
passage to its measure designed to
create the Bank of North Dakota, the
necessary financial cornerstone to the
league's economic program. Thus two
Of the most important measures which
the league has presented are well on
their why to complete enactment.
and each has SO far maintained it's
emergency clause intact.
Sick Men Take Pains to Vote
Representative T. N. Bonner, mi
nority member Of the house, who was
Ill In n local hospital, was brought
to the chamber long enough to permit
him to cast his vote on these bills, and
1t is said that Representative O'Connor
of Grand Forks, who had been called
home On account Of the death Of his
brother-in-lnw, c. P. Trepanier, was
also called back to vote. On the fol-
lowing day, Representative Frederick
son of the majority party was accord
ed considerable credit for the forti-
tude which prompted him to leave n
sick bed to register his ballot In favor
OF House Bill 80.
House Bill 80 Goes Through
This bill, which is another of the
leagues most important measures. had
the attention of the house on Friday.
and made the grade with the emer-
gency clause, the vote on the bill be-
ing "a to 36. 1t is the measure au-
thorizing the issuance of 100000 in
bonds to finance the proposed Bank
of North Dakota, thus giving It the
necessary sinews of war for the gi-
gantic financial operations which 1t
will be required to conduct.
Senate Also Tackles Bio Ones
While this series Of significant ac-'
tons was having the attention of the
house, the senate also had a number
of important bills up for consideration
and gave its final approval to num-
Der that are regarded MS vital to the
program Of the league. These in
clude:
$10,000,00o Real Estate Bonds
Senate Bill 40, providing for the
issuance Of bonds in the sum of $1O,-
OOO,OOO to be known us the bonds of
North Dakota, which passed the upper
house on Thursday by u. vote Of 80
to 8, with the emergency clause added
on a roll call which resulted "a to -.
An amendment to this measure was
provided, making the maximum inter-
est rate to be allowed on these bonds
seven per cent instead of six per cent,
as per the terms of the original bill.
This bill provides that the state may
issue bonds not exceeding $1OOOO,OO
to be known as 'renl estate SERIES"
prescrlbes the terms thereof, and pro-
vides that the money derived from the
sale Of the bonds be loaned to farm
ers on first mortgage loans at rate
Of interest to enable the state to op-
crate the system ut cost.
Home Building Bill Passed
The senate also placed its approval
upon another important measure, of
Its own production, when it gave final
passage on Friday to s. Il. 10, known
as the home building law. This bill
was passed without the addition of
the emergency clause, upon the motion
of its introducer, because the clause
was held unnecessary. The provisions
of the proposed law. he said could
hardly be made operative until some
further subsidiary legislation would he