Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-08
SENATE Bill
IS DISLKED
BY LEACUERS.
Senator Mees Out in Open
Against Reclassification
Act. j -;...44-..
~r7-r7--
Roylance Insists That it Be
Put Through as It
Stands.
(By STAFF Correspondents }

Bismarck. N. D.. Feb. 8.-Among
Nonpartisan league members, at least,
there is a difference of opinion re-
garding Senate Bill 43, the reclassifi-
cation act, and members Of the upper
body Thursday night held a secret
caucus to discuss its provisions.
Senator Fred Mees. chairman of
the Joint taxes committee. is out in
the open against the measure, and
he Is being supported by number
of leaguers. Mees declared in the
committee meeting that the act, in
the end. would mean confiscation Of
property. because the valuation in
many cases would be SO high that peo-
pie would refuse to pay taxes, and.
then, under the bill prohibiting tax
sales. all property would revert to the
state at the end Of three years.
A member Of the senate majority.
who asked that he be quoted
ANONYMOUSLY. declared today that a
straw" vote was taken at the eau
Gus meeting Thursday night, and he
expressed himself as satisfied that the
majority of the league members
would stand behind Mr.. Mees.
What are you going to do about
your tax programap the senator was
asked.
"oh, that's all fixed up" he re-
piled.
Well. what are you going to do
with Kositzky?"
"oh, we've convinced him that he's
wrong"
How about Mees? Have you con-
v!nced him. too?"
mo. we've convinced the others
that Mees is right"
Then, the caucus has decided to
change the bill so as to provide one
class only for all lands?"
We'll. I wouldn't say that I
don't think the caucus has decided It.
will say. though, that I think the
opinion of the majority Of the mem
bers is against making such differ
ences in classification
The senator in question is prepar-
ing statement to. present to the com.
mittee, in which he will point out
some Of the pitfalls that lie beyond.
the state hail insurance.
If the taxes on much Of this land
are unpaid for three years. the prop
erty will fall to, the state, and we'N
be unable to collect taxes on hail in
surance. 1t is easily seen what that
will do to our state, hail Insurance.
The committee will take this into con-
sideration in making final decision
on the bill. But there are many 9TH
er difficulties, and am preparing
statement to present to the commit
tee."
The league is having SO much trou-
BILE over it's tax program that the bills
undoubtedly will be thrown into the
caucus to get majority expression,
and thus bind the legislators to vote
as the caucus decides Mees is against
the reclassification act. but w. G.
Roylance, the leagues tax expert"
is for it, and is insisting upon it go-
ing through as drawn. Kositzky Ia
against much of the tax program, and
his opposition, together with Mees'
attitude has caused the leaders some
uneasiness.
1t is known that agents from the
league legislative bureau are very ac-
tive in an effort to pacify the recall
citrant ones and get them lined up
for the enactment Of the entire tax
program. So far. there are no indi-
cations that they have met with much
success. In fact, it appears to one on
the outside as though they will not
have the entire membership with
them, for Mees is determined in his
opposition and he is being supported
by a number of league senator's and
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