Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-12-03
LEAGUE
TO CONTROL
RURAI VOTE
Senate Bill No. 8 {. Would
Give Townley Men Chance
to Help Farmers Vote. :.
Attempt Also is Being Made
to Place Primary E.lec-
ton in August
(By Geo. A. Benson ) ;

(By Geo. A. Benson.1 :sS
Bismarck, N. D., Dec. 3,--A dia-
boltcal scheme to control the state
election next year now seems to-
have been the actuating motive in
calling the extraordinary session Of
ments have been proposed and they
are drawn along such lines as TO give
the league leaders an opportunity to
control the election. Tss5s; s
The whole. scheme, broad a. II 10.
revealed in S. B. No. 9, at first read.
ing. an innocent bill Of legislation, ~
80 many revolutionary measures are.
But Senate Bill 8 il placed on the
statute books, will entirely destroy
the Australian ballot system Of North
Dakota and give the league leaders
dominance over the voters OF the
state. n ar. rs
Quick Action Needed. Z
1t was necessary to act quicklytif
the scheme was to be put through.
80 the legislature was called to con
vene two days Before Thanksgiving.
Bills have been introduced to amend
the absent voters ballot law, to
change the date of the primary cleo
tion from the third Wednesday IN
August; to create fund Of, $25,0OO
for league election publicity and to
create the office Of state sheriff and
they now seem to be very closely
linked In the general plan.
Senate Bill 9. il passed. will change
the absent voter law so as to enable
the league. through it's thorough or
ganiztson OF rural districts, to retain
control Of the state.
Can BE "Abeent Voters"
Under this bill. any person reaid-
ing half mile or more from the vot-
ing place. can enjoy the rights Of the
absent voter. Such person can vote
on absent voters ballots though he ID
resent in the precinct on election
day and has no expectation Of being
absent therefrom on election day.
The secret Of the absent ballot is en-
tirely destroyed.
The new bill gives the voter the
right to select one person to assist
him or her in voting, such person not
to be an official representative or
litical party having a candidate for
candidates in the field. Under the
present laws assistance in marking
ballots can only be given where the
voter cannot reads IL blind, or physi-
cally unable to mark the ballot and
such assistance can only be rendered
by Two OF the election officers Of dif-
ferent political parties, Jointly aiding.
fegistrstion Not Necessary. ;s'f.'' i a !
Senate Bill also does away with
the requirements of registration to
those permitted to use the absent vot-
! er ballot. It provides further that
absent voters ballots shall be printed
sufficient to supply half Of the voters
in the precinct as ascertained by the
vote cast at the last previous election.
It can easily be seen wherein the bill
permits political workers to make the
rounds of rural voters and obtain for
them absent voters ballots and these
political workers may oversee or a.
stst in the marking Of these ballots.
The attempt to change the primary
election from June to August, Inde-
pendent legislators say, looks like .
possible scheme to vote harvest hands
and threshers who are in the state at
that time, obtaining for them absent
voters ballots The adjustment Of
the requirements for registration aid
ing in carrying out this feature Of the
scheme.
The tInvcstigation Board
The investigation" resolution
which provides for an interim COM
! mittee to investigate at will, appro-
PIRATES $4,000 out OF state moneys
and there is little doubt now that this
IS nothing less than an attempt to
provide money for political body to
carry on campaign against those
opposed to it. The, resolution gives
the committee powers to go into any
mans public or private business af-
fairs, or to inquire into action of any
corporation or association requiring
them to produce any records. ac-
counts. checks or anything that the
committee may desire. Five separate
Investigations may be in the progress
at the same time. for the resolution
gives to the committee the power Of
delegating any member to hold hear
mgs. The reports of such investiEa-
tions are to be published by hllng
them with the governor. Tho direct
| purpose Of this resolution being, then,
to create publicity fund and club
which the administration may uIe
over private individuals or corpora
tions and over rival political orEani-
+ The state SlaeriR.
Under the state sheriff bill the ad-
4 ministration can appoint any number
OF deputies at five dollars per day.
This Is the scheme followed by the
Council Of Defense, under which the
administration commissioned several
hundred men with powers OF deputy
sheriff and under which league orr
ganize-s were particularly favored at
that time.
To carry out their scheme, It was
necessary to call the session 1t this
time. Under the constitution. s any
measure referred to, the people can
not become effective until thirty days
after approval by the people. a ref
erendurn cannot !be taken In less than
one hundred, days: after the legtsaas
ture adjourns. Thus the leg gislature
by meeting At this time. opens ths
way for putting laws not carrying
emergency clauseA into elect s.
April or May next ahead Of the pE3-
mary elections. ssS, ,1ss IS ss
III Any KcTnP rAII.FN 80