The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-18
LEAGUE BILLS
HAVE But ONE
VOTE TO GOOD
Mees of Morton, Nonpartisan
Lacquer, Kept Regular by
Governors Pledge
$4,000 WILL .REFEREND
Frazier Promises Senate He Will
Not Require Full Emer.
gency Measure Limit
$4,000 WILL REFEREND

gency Measure Limit
With but one vote to spare on th'
industrial commission measure ant
with no margin at all on the Bapk o
North Dakota bill, the senate Monda!
afternoon passed Houe Bill. II and Is
two Of the parent meaure OF the league
program, which now are ready for thu
signature Of the governor to give then
immediate effect. Both bills provide
that the industrial commission make
them operative within 20 days from
their passage. 3
FRAZIER SAVES THE, DAY
Governor Lynn J. Frazier saved the
day for the league when he appeared
before the senate in response to al
invitation rendered by Senat ,rs Wei
ford, Hunt and Gibbens, on motion
Of the first name, and rendered that
body his solemn pledge that he would
call an Immediate election should 10,
600 representative citizens, farmers
business men and others, signify their
desire for such, an election. Under the
emergency amendment to the cOnstitil-
tion adopted last November, the gov.
crnor would he required to call spe.
cial election only on petition Of 10000
electors, hut the same amendment pro-
vides that he may call q special cleo
tion on the ordinary petition Of 1000.
even when that petition is filed against
an emergency measure. The GOVERNOR
split the difference, first agreeing that
he would consider 10000 signatures
soSn a
ther and agreeing to call q special
election Of referendum petitions bear
ing the signatures of approximately
5000 representative citizens were
filed against any, of the important
league measures bearing an emergency
clause. >...
Townley and Lemke discovered upon
the converting Of the senate Monday
that thew could mot command suffi-
cent number Of votes to carry the
emergency. Several perfectly 4 good
league members were opposed TO pass
ing these bills with 4 an emergency
which many thought would practicaal-
" preclude any possibility OF referring
them to the people Tor approval. There
was hurried conference with Cover
nor Frazier and with the attorney
general. HenatoEr ~ chair, Who was sick
in bed and whose vote Vas badly need
ed, was sent f0r;sa recess was taken
to give him time to reach the capitol,
and then when ans ywas net Senator
Wexford arose and stated, that mas
much as the, attitude ,pf the admins mini :
tration toward the emergency CLAUSE on
important league measures had been
misrepresented or miac0nstrued he
moved that "A committee OF three be
appointed to await on the governor
and invite him to explain to the sen
ate the attitude he would take toward
the referendum of emergency meas
ures.
FRAZIER TO BE FAIR
"Seven thousand signatures" said
Governor Frazier" will refer bills
without the emergency clause, or will
bring bills with an emergency clause
up for vote at the next general elec-
tion. Thirty thousand signatures are
required by the constitution on ref
crendum petition to be submitted ut
a special election. Some Of the men,
hers of this house think that 10000
is too high-that it is almost prohibi-
tive. It may be. rather large, although
it seems to me there is.no question as!
to what majority, Of the people would
say If they had chance to express
themselves on this question. '''
"A special election will cost the state
{: lot Of money. Roughly speaking, I
would say it will run from $4,000 to
$4,000. 1 wouldn't favor calling a
special election unless l felt there was
sufficient demand for it. ! would
want to see a sufficient number of
signatures from enough of the c0un-
ties to convince, me that the repre-
sentative people OF the state wanted a
special election.
SETS MINIMUM NUMBER
IF 10000 seems too high. am will
ing to pledge myself to call special
election if 10000. or even smaller
number of electors, scattered over the
state and representative Of the people
and all Of the varied interests of the
state, petition for it.. OF course, the
people in signing these petitions must
realize that a special election will cost
q considerable sum-it will run into
thousands.
II will 20 further and say that IL
$1,000 electors, scattered around over
the state, farmers as well as towns
people. ask for special election on
any of these bills, will call 1t. There
is no desire on the part Of this ad-
ministration to be unfair we want to
he fair and square with everyone, and
il 5000 people Of the state, including
farmers and business men. want spe-
4,
Senator Church inquired whether the
governors action in calling q special
election on a smaller number Of sig
natures than called for in the emer-
gency clause would affect in any way
the validity Of any Of these acts. The
governor replied that it would not. He
stated that on 1000 signatures the
governor was authorized to call spe-
cial election on any measure. emer-
gency or otherwise.