The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-12-25
A RECORD BREAKER

The 1919 special session Of the North Dakota
legislature passes ipto history as a record break
er for quick and substantial achievements.
Against as bitter, INSCRIPTIONS, determined and
opposition as state law makers ever faced, the
farmer legislators passed II laws in fourteen
days and succeeded lin putting through p~ractic-
ally the entire program planned by the COVER
nor. In a year famous for the number OF special
legislative sessions, no state can boast OF law
making achievements equal to this either in the
number of laws passed or their Importance to
the people.
The superiority of having the common people
make their own laws through men drawn main
ly from their own ranks has again been demon
strated. The reason is clear. The common peo-
pie only are up against real conditions. They
alone suffer for shortcomings in government
and industry. They alone have real problems to
solve. Therefore, when they meet they have
not only a substantial and important program
to put into effect, but also a necessary and mr.
gent program. On the other hand, lawyers and
businessmen, who constitute the bulk of mos
state legislatures, are above the ordinary hard
problems of life and have no program to put
through other than a program to prevent any
changes in government and industry that might
undermine the advantages and privileges they
enjoy.
The laws lust enacted may be broadly CLASH
fed under the heads-laws further extending
and democratizing the franchise, laws revising
taxes, enlarging and improving the workings
of the new state departments, protecting the
new state departments and industries from the
vicious propaganda of the enemy, enlarg'ng po-
wers of state for emergencies and collection OF
taxes from big corporations, curtailir: the
mowers of the traitors and sabotagers holding
office. aiding farmer drouth victims, making
vav easier for more public ownership and CO.
operation, fastening establishment oil public
ownership program, placing state funds in more
available form, improving and en'arg'ny SOL
diers' compensation.
Not only has the franchise been extended TO
the female half of the population, but the exer-
else of the franchise by all has been made cas-
Ter. Among the acts along this line is the one
allowing citizens living a half mile from the poll
inc places, or citizens who are sick or disabled
to vote by mail. This law completely entEan-
chises the farmers and their wives by making
it possible for the first time for all to vote at all
elections. The weather conditions and the con-
OlLlOIIS " IOduS Ill CIlO pooC 1I%FS W
in the disfranchisement of a large number OF
farmers. It is needless to say that the L. V. "A;
opposition to this just measure is venomous anQ
desperate.
The reduction of the state expenses rs per
cent against which the I. V. A. politicians voted
solidly, and the tax cut of Is per cent were
made possible by the unexpected success OF the
new state departments and industries enabling
a return of several funds advanced to start
these departments and industries. 1t comes as
a great relief at the end of a year OF partial crop
failures and is a striking illustration OF the de-
sire of the present state government to make
the burden as light as possible on the taxpayers
while it is inaugurating the greatest program
of new state industries in the history OF Amer
lea.
Among the acts charging and improving the
workings of the new state departments and in
dustries is the bill authorizing the issuance OF
bonds for state home building. This law was
made necessary by the Unexpectedly large num-
Der of urgent applications for homes: The re-
volving fund provided for in the original law
was too slow to fulfill the present unusual need.
It became necessary to provide a way to raise
a large capital to build a large number OF homes
commencing next spring. The home building
bonds will be sold and the proceeds will be ap-
piled Immediately to building homes for the peo-
pie. The bonds will afterward be redeemed by
the money collected as payments from those
buying the homes.
The law providing punishment for wilful
knocking of the new state industries and insti-
tutions for political purposes will make it decid-
edly unhealthy for those gangSterS and agents