The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-12-18

THURSDAY. DECEMBER ls. u
NEWS FROM THE
STATE CAP lT0L
Bismarck, N. D., Dec. Is. After IA
days filled with thrilling and nerve
racking scenes, when political vindict-
iveness and radicalisn ran rampant
and uncontrolled, when constitutional
precedents were brushed aside asschaff
and laws making secure an autocratic
control Of the state and it s. people
were forced into being by means Of
the whip, the secret caucus and polit-
ical chicanery and trickery, the Fraz-
Ter "Facilitation" special assembly of
the North Dakota legislature came to
q close at 9 o'clock Thursday night.
Among the greatest Of the "facili-
tation" measures passed and acts
consummated were:
The reduction Of the Office of the
attorney general to name only and
almost impotency as regards future
action; the stripping Of powers from
the auditor. and secretary 81 state;
the can1oufaged passage OF q IS per
cent decrease in taxes which will not
make $500 difference per quarter sec
ton anywhere in the state; the Civ
ing to the state board Of administra-
ton the power to pick which soldiers
shall be paid bonuses and which shall
not according to their political alleg-
lance; the admission by passage Of
resolutions only aimed against Lam
ger, that the league leaders dare not
bring impeachment charges, but only
dare pass slanderous resolutions, they
knowing full well the members Of 9
Legislative body are immune from suit
or redress; the giving to the COVER
nor Of the state the power to seize
any or all private industries in the
state through a constabulary system
into which he can call all males from
10 to As years Of age.
All this and more was perpetrated
on the people Of North Dakota. How
ever, it has been remarked that 81
members Of the house and 50 mem
beers Of the senate wrote their p0lit-
ical death warrants every time they
voted for the punitive measures or the
laws creating an absolute aut0cracy.
In all 118 measures were introduced
in the two houses Of which " were
enacted into law.
Among the more important were:
Passed bill amending or re-enact-
ing the absent voters law SO that all
voters, men and women, residing more
than half mile from the polling
place can use the absent voters bal
lot. Ostensibly providing that women
with families, the sick or busy, need
not 20 to the polls, it allows repre-
sentatives of the Non Partisan league
but not Republican or Democrats, to
call on voters, aid them in marking
the ballot. In short, it provides the
machinery whereby the league can
send an organizer into every precinct
Of the state Is days prior to election
collect the ballots and know how they
are marked, thus gaining check on
whether farmers are faithful to their
$1,000 investment.
Cut the state taxes except the hail
tax and the soldiers bonus levy Is
per cent. This does not affect tho
county tax, and will not mean a $500
reduction anywhere in the state.
Amended the soldiers bonus ACT
raising the levy from one-half to 81
Of a mill, providing that money car
be used for purchases Of tools Of 9
craft or trade investment in a bust.
ness or other purposes, but inserting
a Joker that the board of administra
ton shall say who shall be entitled K
priority payment. !.
Created the job Of state sheriff witt
B two deputies whose duties shall be tc
see that all sheriffs and county offic
ials enforce the law, but more espec
tally to serve as special adjutant anc
political strong arm bouncer for the
governor and head Of "a state constab
ulary. To this state sheriff is trans
ferred the state license department
which under the attorney general ha:
had control and regulation Of poo
/ halls. This transfer was bitterly op
posed by Mrs. Preston-Anderson ane
others Of the w. c.. Z. u. and the N
d Law Enforcement league and the
CuVICIl0Su . OI61AAAAsSGAVAASsse2
Created state Investigation com
mittee to dig up political thunder fo1
the Courier News, Grand Forks Amer
lean and other Townleyized papers in
asmuch as it gives the commission tn
power to demand any or all persona
books, papers or other property ant
provides a fine Of $500 or a year il
the penitentiary for any who refus
to disclose information. This bill i
aimed particularly at the Offices o
LANCER, Hall and Kositzky. Howeve
its jokers provides the legal machin
cry for raids on the Office: Of any pr
vate individual or corporation.
Created the liar law, whereby an,
person employed by the state VIII
shall make false statement is gull
ty Of q felony Or as Speaker Stat
analysed the law, "One who exagger
ates is a booster, but one who doesn'
is liar The degree Of falsity 0
the statement is not considered, j