The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-12-18

OSAS1Vhso nav OAAN0sOSSNs
Today petitions are In circulation
for a referendum vote on this bill,
and petitions will be filed with the re-
quired 1000 names before the 10
days are up. The league expects to
get court rulings that this particular
bill cannot be tied up by the refer
endum, banking on Williah Lemke's
influence to hold Judge ]. E. Robinson
Of the supreme court in line with the
other league jurists on the supreme
bench.
Should the court sustain this act,
operation of the bills passed will
cripple work of the state officials
who are fighting the league and
there will be general upsetting of
conditions at the state capitol. But
after the excitement of yesterday the
future seems tame for North Dako-
tans.
After the legislature yesterday
had adopted q wordy resolution de-
manding the resignation of Attorney
General William LANCER, the senate
sent a committee to State Auditor
Carl Kositzky, demanding that he
issue warrants for the mileage and
per diem of the members.
Resisting service of the resolution,
Kositzky battled with Senator A. A.
Liederbach of Kildeer in the hall and
then locked himself in his Office. The
committee reported and the senate
then demanded Mr.. Kositzky's pres.
ence before that body. He came ac-
companied by Frank E. Packard, as
sistant attorney general, but Mr..
Packard was promptly elected.
A resolution had been introduced
to throw the auditor in Jail for 80 days
for contempt. Asked why he did not
issue the warrants, Kositzky answer
ed that other important work was
ahead of them, and that the girls in
his office are not allowed by law to
work more than eight hours.
Senator Frank E. Ployhar demand
Led that Mr.. Kositzky be allowed to
have counsel, and Mr.. Packard was
sent for, the senate going into execu-
tive session. 1t ended after several
minutes in an agreement that the
warrants would be issued today, "a
many as there is money in the gen
eral fund to pay. Mr.. Kositzky main
tanned that he would be guilty Of
breaking the law if he issued war
rants when there are no funds to
pay them, and he refused to apollo
gize for anything he had done.
LANCER Resolution Passes.
The LANCER resolution passed the
senate by a vote of 20 to 16, and the
house by 81 to "A, over protest by
Representative j. F. T. O'Connol
that Mr.. LANCER was being condemn.
ed without chance to be heard, and
tina many of the charges made were
known to be untrue. The resolution
condemns the attorney geenral fol
his actions regarding the Fargo bank
case, and accuses him Of failing to
protect the states interests in con.
nection with it's industrial program
i It says nothing of impeachment, but
explains that there is no recall pro.
vision in the state constitution, and
calls on Mr.. LANCER to resign. Other
measures taken against him by the
extra session, whose enforcement de.
ponds on court rulings, are:
Reducing department appro-
priation from $4,000 to $4,000
900 to run until July /, 1921.
Cutting force Of assistants from
/ five to two, and depriving the at
SOlASy SCuCIdl VI IlfC 14SuL W
hire special assistants.
| Giving governor the right to
name special assistants attorney
Of legal matters.
Taking license and inspection
Of pool halls, theatres and bowl.
ing alleys from attorney general
and giving it to the newly Great
ed state sheriff.
Transferring enforcement Of
delinquent tax collections from
\ attorney general to tax commits
sioner.
! The measures aimed to punish
State Auditor Carl >Kositzky are:
Cutting \. hi' biz Siea m :1a a XIn
ing $1,000 to run department for
year and q half. ess
Removing him from the state
H board Of equalization and rsplac-
4 ing him by commissioner Of in
surance. sit I239s
\ Removing him from auditing
board and adding officials con-
1, J trolled by Nonpartisan league.
Removing him from emergency
! commission and substituting the
i commissioner Of agriculture and
labor.
/ Secretary Of State Thomas Hall II
attacked in this fashion:
1 BY cutting his appropriation to
a pont where little Is left to run
the department.
/ By removing him from state
auditing board.
Two other measures are aimeG
equally at Ill three officials. One 4
the famous proposal for Z legislative
4 investigating COMMITTEES q look Int
alleged illegal aets ~ 1lo4e eGle
ialsS and u svs1yb go aesIII!sl
Il (Ccntinasd - 49,