The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-12-11
State Officials Must
Stick To- The Truth
"Anti-Liar" Bill Passed With Severe
Penalty for Any Official Who
Publishes False Statements
Concerning Any State
Department.

concerning ANY StSte
Department.
Following is the "anti-liar" bill
,assed Saturday, which becomes ef-
ective July l next unless the league
eaders can succeed in putting
through the state supreme court that
I'll acts of the extra session are
emergency" acts because the legislat-
ire itself is meeting in an "emer-
.ency" session. Here it is:
"Section1. No state official G,
shall wilful]y publish any false
statement in regard to any Of
the state departments, institu-
tions or industries which said
false statements shall tend to de-
ceive the public and create a
distrust of the state officials or :
employees in charge Of such de-
partments, institutions or indus
tries, or which tends to obstruct,
hinder and delay the various de-
partments, institutions and in
dustries Of the state in carrying
out the industrial program which
the state of North Dakota has
adopted.
in any county in the state where
any such false statements shall
have been uttered or otherwise
published, shall have jurisdiction
to try any case brought under the
provisions of this act.
"Section 3. In all prosecutions
under the provisions Of this act
and tried TO jury such jurors
shall be selected from various
parts Of the county in which such
case shall be tried.
"Section 4. Any person on vi
olating the provisions of this act
shall be deemed guilty Of 4 fol-
ony and shall be punished by
imprisonment in the state peni-
tentiary for term of one year
or by fine of five hundred dol
lars ($500.00) or both.
"Section 5. All acts or parts
of acts inconsistent with the pro-
visions Of this act are hereby re-
repealed"
Twitchell Raises Question
Representative Twitchell of Cass
county raised the first question on
the bill when he asserted that il
was an attempt to block free speech
and he called attention to the pro.
vision Of the bill which permitted
in any county in tht
state. He said, for instance, that
q person telling lie in Cass county
against the administration, could bl
taken to Eddy county, strong Non.
partisan league county, for trial
while Nonpartisan, living in Eddy
county, could be taken to Cass
county for trial, where the opposi
ton is strong.
No free discussion, asserted TWit
chell, was possible under the law, 4!
he insisted that it would even den,
a man the privilege Of going out ant
saying what he thinks.
Reishus of Ward county wanted t,
know what would happen lin case
a man-an officer-raised any ques
tion as to the advisability of stat,
bonds. Would he be liable?, aske<
Mr.. Reishus.
Stair Takes q Hand
Speaker L. L. Stair, who callet
Representative johnson Of Steel,
county to the chair, asserted that no
body should be afraid of telling tn,
truth, and that all this bill was in
tended for was to encourage trutl
telling. He asserted that partie!
who had attempted to block tn.
leagues industrial program were Job
structionists," and that s'the Non
partisan league program should g.
ahead"
Representative Whipple of Stuts
man county wanted to know of Mr.
Twitchell if he, Twitchell, wanted t.
retain the privilege Of lying.
Representative 0. B. Burtness Of
Grand Forks called. attention to ths
manner in which the law would op
crate. The man who told the peo.
pie, for instance; that the Bank o1
North Dakota, was earning $1O0, 900
when as matter of fact it earned
only $4,000, would be exempt from
and he offered an amend.
ment which would take out the words
in the first section after the wordl
'of the state" where they first ap.
pear.
One liar, contended Burtness, wa.
just as bad as another, and he ask
I'd unanimous consent that the amend
ment be made, such consent being re-
quired % the bill was on third read
ing at the time. Frank Prater, OF
protested, and the amend
ment WA rejected.