The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-03-03

leagues legislative program as
tending to destroy and annul pri
Came at Last Moment.
1t was near 8 O'Clock Saturday even
ing, after the important business OF
the session had been disposed OF and
when the two houses were engaging
in the usual closing hour pranks,
pending final adjournment, that the
state affairs, which has been the
leagues legislative steering commit
tee, introduced in the house a long
set of resolutions bitterly reviling
members of the minority whose names
appeared on the independent Voters
association circular. These members
we're called traitors, liars and paid
hirelings, of big business, and at the
close of the resolutions, which includ
ed a copy of the |. v. A. circular,
the names of the members attached
thereto were read. and they were call.
ed upon to disclaim responsibility for
the statements contained therein.
AS the name Of each minority mem.
ber. In the house was read he re-
sponded AYE" or ;. Present. and there
was no evidence that the high rolling
phrases had intimidated anyone OF
them. The adoption of the resolution
was moved by Walter Maddox at
Mountrail, chairman Of the COMMITTEES
on state affairs It's adoption was
opposed by Rep. Q. B. Burtness Of
Grand Forks, Rep. TWichell Of Cass
county and other. members OF the ms-
nority, who defended the statements
in the I. V. A. circular and delOunc ed
the house and teh machine which had
controlled it throughout the session
for the tactics resorted to in forging
tahrough such legislation as the board
OF administration bill, designed to
throttle Miss Minnie J. Nelson, state
superintendent Of public instruction,
and the Brinton bill, whose aim is to
stifle the independent press Of the
state. '.' e.-
A vivid recital of the methods of
the secret caucus, OF the rank lobby
ing resorted to by Neil c. Macdonald,
for whom the board Of administration
bill, 1t was contended, was introduced;
!. w. Brinton, owner, stOcklolder, or
promoter in 40 newspapers to each OF
which the league voted an annuity
of $4,000; William Lemke, of the
leagues st. Paul offices; President
A. C. Townley and Governor Frazier,
himself. marked the response of min
ority members to the league resolu-
tions. - 3,
Townley had left in high dudgeon
Friday evening after "a sufficient
number of leaguers had shown sucn
independence as to twice defeat his
attempt to bull through an emergency
clause on the Brinton newspaper trust
bill. E'rinton followed his masters
example Saturday evening, when for
a third time the house rejected his
demands for immediate slaughter OF
the independent press Of the state,
but Governor Frazier was present on
the side-lines; So, too, was William
Lemke, and Albert j. Fox, de-facto
owner of the 'NOnpartisan Courier
News was there when he was not
busy on the phone in an effort to
bring back to the house lcasue mem
bers who had left early sH
The final upshot of 1t all in the
house, at o'clock Sunday morning,
was a vote along strictly league lines,
but without all of the leaguers stand
ing with the majority, which barely
carried the leagues resolutions. Then
the resolutions went to the senate
where they found just one MANA. A.
Liederbach of Dunn county. league
organizer and member of the upper
house-to support them. The resolu.
tions were rejected by viva voce vote,
and Liederbach's voice was tie cnly
one raised in opposition to the motion
to reject.
The senate during it's closing hours
passed House Bill 163, requiring
the union label on all public printing;
House Bill 151, repeating state aid to
fire insurance companies from the fire
insurance premium tax; H. B. "a, pro-
bibiting discrimination in the sale of
commodities; H. B. 1913, creating a
commissioner of immigration, with an
appropriation of $2OO,O00; H. B. 1913,
relating to salaries of resident Off
GERS at the state hospital for the in
sane, and H. B. 1S9, creating state
flood control commission.
The public utiluities bill, drawn by
a member of the state railway com
mission and giving that body control
over all public service corporation in
the state, passed during the closing
hours of the session, when a confer
ence committee report on amend
ments which had been made by both
houses was adopted.
A senate bill providing for the ex-
tension of the capitol street railway
Continued on Page Four