The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-12-12

anu uAulSAl HIS GNcUlACS dUU
to Strengthen Grip of Major.
ity on North Dakota - Red
; Flag Bill Killed-Free Love
Facts CLOSED Over
Kicking precedent into a cooked hat
the special assembly which concluded
its eighteen days labors Thursday
evening revolutionized the established
system of auditing and accounting, re.
duced to impotency the Offices of tho
attorney general and the state auditor
by depriving them Of their apropria-
lions; conferred upon the governor the
powers of a military despot to contis.
cate private property and retain and
operate it by force-or arms; made 1t q
felony for any state official to adverse
ly criticise the league program or tbs
acts of any of the league members OF
the administration gave the governor
power to name an inqulsatorial COM
mirtee to sit on the leagues enemies
and to hand to the chairman OF that
committee $4,000 to be spent as lie
may elect, without accounting of any
kind; passed law which absolutely
destroys the Australian ballot syg-
tenn and deprives elections of the sec
rccy which heretofore has surrounded
them; provided for the semi-annual
payment Of taxes; decreed for 25
percent refund of taxes levied this
year ION demand" and in order to
cut the coat to fit the cloth, Topped
S5S1, 900 from from the provisions Of
state officials who have fallen out with
Townley and from the building pro-
grams of state institutions.
.. What 1t Has Cost.
In money the special session has
cost the state about $4,000. 1t was
called to ratify the federal suffrage
amendment, which it did; to provide
relief for drouth-stricken farmers,
which it did in part by extending the
time of payment of seed, and feed liens
made necessary by other years Of
drouth; and to facilitate the operation
Of the league program, which league
leaders insist was done by cripling the
state auditor and the attorney general
and by removing from boards which
have charge Of the auditing and ac-
counting of public income and expendi-
lures, the assessment Of property and
the leyying of taxes all state officials
who have proven unfriendly to a. G..
! Townley. e,
The session throughout was, ruled
by the majority. Not a single minor
ity measure Of any Importance got to
first base Probably two-thirds of all
the time taken up here was devoted
to the punishment of Attorney General
LANCER, through resolutions Of con-
demnation, demands for his resigna-
ton and other attacks made on the
floor Of both houses. and to the re-
moval of LANCER and KositZky from
boards which the attorney general and
the state auditor always have occu-
pied, and to the pairing of their appro-
priations down to the quick.
Some Important Acts.
Some important acts Of the special
assembly were to create state sner-
if as commanIer-in chief Of a state
constabulary.
TO confer upon Governor Frazier
powers to contiscate property in time
of emergency or threat OF emergency;
to muster every able bodied male into
the service of che state, and to hold
and operate such property by force OF
arms.
Removing the state auditor from
the board of equalization, auditing
board, emergency commission and
other boards of this nature and to
substitute for him league officials
who are regular"
To pour $4,000 into the emergency
commission fund.
To make attacks on the league pro-
gram by state officials illegal.
TO name a committee with unlimit-
ed powers to investigate acts or
words of opponents to the administra-
ton.
To practically eliminate the attorney
general by removing him from impor-
tant boards; to reduce his $4,000 aI>-
preparation to 100000, of which $685.
900 already has been spent; to con-
demn his official acts and brand him
a traitor to the farmers cause" and
finally to impeach him without trial
through concurrent resolution de-
manding his resignation.
They'll not get it. don't know how
to spell the word resign" was the
attorney generals only comment oh
this final action.
J. To provide for Is per cent refund
of the excessive tax levy OF 1919,
which averages 100 per cent over that
for 1918.
To provide for the semi annual pay
ment of state taxes, in March and No
vember.
To provide that any elector resid-
ing one-half mile or more from his or
her polling place may vote an absent
voters ballot in the presense Of any
\ person armed with notarial seal.
4 To give the governor power to ap-
!, point his own assistant attorneys
general and making an appropriation
: for the same, also literally appro-
priating for other emergencies"
| which may confront the executive.
4 To ratify federal suffrage by m
: almost unanimous vote.
i To refuse, by a solid league major.
!. ity in the house. to pass or even con-
! slider bill which would prohibit the
t substitution of the red flag OF social
! ism or the black flag OF anarchy for
the Stars and Stripes.
N