Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-01-27

be able to get It OF. 90 far a. the
minority members are concerned,
they might just a. well be dogs and
bay the MOON" for they'd accom-
plish Just as much.
They Use Books.
Townley's working democracy 10
q sad commentary upon the legtsla-
ture Of. q commonwealth like North
Dakota. Think of a state affairs com.
mittee studying important bills Out of
books! Think of such a committee
inviting in a man from here and there
to get "criticisms!" Yet. that is just
what the state affairs committee Of
the house is doing today. This COM
mtitee. of which Walter Maddox,
defeated candidate for the speaker
ship and today one of Townley's best
workers is chairman. has had the in.
dustrtal commission and the state
bank bills for two weeks. and in that
ing on either n Of these bills.
The writer. seeking information
and material on state banks, such as
planned by the league, and on state
industrial commissions, appealed to
Mr.. Maddox after libraries at the
eApital had been searched in vain.
1--WE have some books at hcadquar.
%ters," Mr.. Maddox replied.
Are they available for my use?"
the writer asked.
Mr.. Maddox thought they would
be, and suggested hat the writer in
quire of Mr.. Norbert O'Leary, Town
ley's secretary and the hardest work.
ing mar at headquarters.
Most Of the books. Mr.. Maddox
said, came from the St. Paul library.
They were brought here. no doubt,
by Townley and Walter Thomas Mills.
1 So far the writer has been unable to
got the books. SO is unable to give
their titles.
Eut these are the books that are
from which the Industrial commits
sion and the state bank bills will be
whipped into shape for practical uses
i'll North Dakota. Very interesting
committee meetings must be heidi.
Mr.. Maddox ought to be able to write
a. book or two when he is through
likabie man, and hes doing mighty
good work out here for the league!
A book by him, covering his exper-
fences as. chairman of the state at
fairs committee. would be worth
reading.
Other Criticisms.
But criticisms are not coming from
books alone, and, at that, it Is rather
hard to see how the committee is get
ting criticisms from these books, for
they undoubtedly have been used as
text books in the preparation of the
bills. But n or two men have been
called in. Mr.. Maddox admitted to
the writer that "our banker from
the statement goes. he gave the COM
%rlittee some very valuable help. But,
it's a safe bet that he didn't change
the bill! Only the steering commit
tee (and Walter Maddox also is
chairman Of that) and Bill Lemke
can change a bill. Townley got these
things so splendidly dove-tailed that
chine.
One of these bright legislative days
these two bills are going to be report
ed. It's a matter of form. but it has
to be M through with, if the bills
are to be written into the statute
of the house, or Speaker Stairs son
will give them their thiyd reading,
and some leaguer-undoubtedly Mr..
Maddock-will move hat the COM
mittee's report. recommending that
the bills do pass. be adopted, n the
war will be on. But it won't last long.
The minority members. limited to,
twenty-minute speeches, will have
their little say and Just about the
time they think they have the cards
pretty we'll gummed, Dell Patterson
or another league lieutenant will
"move the previous question:" and the
fun will be over. The bills will be
messaged over to the senate. and in
a few days the senate will send a
messenger back, telling Mr.. Speaker
that the house bills have beer passed.
All that remains is the signing Of
them, and Stair and Wood and Frazier
will lose no time in that.
Verify, working democracy" is a
wonderful thing when clothed forever
in the habililhents of autocracy!