The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1919-02-06
governor gives him absolute author.
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fty in the negotiation Of the bonds.
The bonds are to run from 10 to 30
years and elaborate provision is made
for the machinery by which taxes are
to be collected to pay them in the
event that the profits from the eleva.
tors and mills fail to meet expenses.
Referendum Loses Teeth
Townley and his heutenants are
leaving no loopholes for the use of
the referendum on laws that are
vital to the schemes they have
worked out. The revelation that no
separate roll call is required to make
the emergency clause effective has
an important bearing ON the legisla.
tive situation Certain league legis.
lators hesitate to support emergency
clauses. though willing enough to
vote for the main proposition. They
dislike the idea of virtually blocking
the reference of any subject by using
the emergency provision. To refer
an emergency act, which becomes ef.
fective Immediately upon its passage
and approval, requires a petition of
10000 names, while legislation that
does not carry the emergency pro-
vision may be referred by 1000 pc.
titioners. 1t was repeatedly asserted
by league spokesmen in the last
campaign that the constitutional
amendments merely opened the way
to permit the submission to the
people Of the various questions, and
the attempt now to make the refer.
endum imperative through the use
of the emergency barrier is bitter
pill for many to swallow.
The league has signed up 81 SEN
ators of the total membership of 48
to the caucus pledge. In the house
all but "a of the membership of 113
are under the domination of Town
ley. II the league can hold all Gus
Gus signed members in line, it will
be able to declare all acts emergen-
cies and thus virtually put them out
side the pale Of a referendum.
War on Miss Nelson
The leagues fight on Miss Nelson,
the new state superintendent, touch.
ed new depths when bill, which
her predecessor in Office is charged
with drafting, appeared in the house
This bill so changes the statutes
governing the issuance of teachers
certificates that, with the aid OF
retroactive amendments, favorably
interpreted by a Nonpartisan league
state board of education, Miss Neil
sons life professional certificate may
be wrested from her. This would de.
prive her of the qualifications for the
office to which she was elected by
more than 5000 majority.
That the Townlcy pack is in full
cry against the only Independent,
holding state office is further
shown in the proposal to create one
board of three members to handle ali
charitable and educational institu
tions. This plan would drive out o!
office the present board of control of
three members, the board of regents
of five and the board of education of
seven. This board is to name a com
missioner of education who is to
take over authority exercised in the
past by the state superintendent.
Mills a Power Behind Throne
Walter Thomas Mills, the inter
nationalist and socialist, is a real
power here behind the leagues en-
terprises. Not only is he interested
in all the public ownership schemes,
which he has studied in Australia
and other lands and has vouched for
thousand times to his chief, MI.
Townley, hut he is the directing
power in the fight that is being made
on the new state school superintend-
ent. The certificate bill carries an
emergency clause and can become a
law in short order. The board of
education ia to meet this month and
will be in position to conduct tria,
Of the charges against the new sup
erintendent and revoke her certifi-
cate.
Designs on Military
Townley's intent to add to the po-
litical machine the military establish.
ment of the state and to install at
its head, in the office of adtutant
general, Leo s. Horst former
league organizer. is seen by the
North Dakota Guardsmen in a house
bill introduced last week. This bill
abandons the present method Of
selecting the adjutant general from
the highest ranking officers who have
had at least three years active SER
vice and provides only "such adtu-
tant general shall have had at least
six months continuous service in any
military organization Of this state Of
the United States" The salary is
advanced by the bill from $4,000 to
$4,000 year.
Courts Decision Anticipated
The decision Of the supreme court
on Saturday that the Nonpar+isan
league amendments were legally