Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-05
.O'C0NN0R'S
PLAN CAUSES
! HEATED DEBATE
Charges by One Legislator
Against Fargo Forum
Are Groundless.

-
Against Fargo Forum
Are Groundless.
Bismarck, n. D., Dec. 5.-After an
acrim onious debate, in which both
factions likened newspapermen to
venemous snakes and other crawling
things. Speaker Stair. acting on in
structions from the house, yesterday
appointed committee of three
which shall investigate complaints of
es which may be made by any
member of the house. If a repre-
sentative complains Of the report Of
any newspaper, his charges are to be
investigated by the committee, which
is to make It's recommendations to
the house. The house, then, will de-
termine whether or not the offending
correspondent shall be denied the
privileges Of the floor.
The debate over newspapermen
and the reconsideration of bill re-
pealing the anti-cigarette act. both Of
which were considered along Non
partisan lines to some extent at least,
and Burtness' attack upon the ma
jority for endeavoring to punish the
state auditor, furnished the real ex-
citement Of the day.
Bill Recalled.
The bill which would license the
sale of cigarettes, which was in
definitely postponed on report Of the
temperance committee Wednesday,
finally was recalled for reconsidera-
ton by q vote of "a to As, Nonparti-
san voting with Independents for re-
consideration, and Independents vot-
ing with Nonpartisan against recon-
sideration. Walter J.. Maddox. chair
man Of the state affairs committee,
made the motion for Reconsideration,
while Representative Miller, chair
man Of the temperance committee,
opposed the motion. Both are Nom
afis skoTtysmsiir.ss OF nsaspapsr-
metr were brought before the house
by Representative j. F. T. O'Connor,
who declared the Grand Forks Amer
ttcan had place: in. his .!(O'Connor'sJ
mouth a speech on the free love dis
closures Of Burtness which he O'Con-
nor) had never made and that the
Grand Forks newspaper had then
proceeded to. adversely comment up
on the speech which he.< the afore-
said newspaperman,J had made for
O'Connor The young representative
from the Forks declared he could get
100 aff1davits from members of the
house proving that he had never
made the speech and had in fact not
spoken upon this matter at, any time.
Wants Investigations.
He asked for the appointment of a
committee Of five to determine into
the effects, to inquire into newspaper
reports which are emanating from
press representatives of both factions
/; in the house, and if these reports
were found to be false and unfair to
the members of the house that the
courtesy of the house be denied these
press correspondents and that the
committee recommend such othe:
punishment as it might consider fit
tirg. O'Connor declared he would be
the first to vote for the exclusion of
any newspaperman for either side
who seeks to malign members Of the
house by speaking false reports and
tfat he stood ready to go before the
investigating committee and defend
ly attacked by newspapermen en-
I, joying the courtesy of the. floor.
| He declared that 1--WE have heard
from one end of the state to the 9th
er that you cannot believe anything
that appears in the so-called Inde.
pendent press. You have been told
that, gentlemen of this house. You
have been told that you must reao
only what appears in the NGran6
News" 8 5
Read Reports.
! O'Connor read the Grand Fork.
Americans report and comment or
| the address which O'Connor declared
/ Fabricated from whole cloth