The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1919-02-05
sSOLONS WANT DECISION RE-
GARDING SEPARATE ROLL
CALL ON MEASURE.
OPINION MAY GIVE
LEAGUE ADVANTAGE
HIGHWAY BOND BILL WITH
DRAWN WHEN FOUND UNCON-
STITUT1ONAL

Bismarck, N. D., Feb. Attorney
General William LANCER today was
asked by the house Of representatives
to decide whether or NOT a separate
roll call was needed to pass the en-
ergency clause to administration bills
now before the legislature. The
question arose when a motion was
made to correct the journal for the
twenty-sixth day so as to show that
the emergency clause Of House Bill
IS, providing for coal mine inspec-
ton and regulation had passed in
stead of being defeated, as ruled by
Speaker Stair Saturday afternoon,
when the vote on the emergency was
62 to 27. ~, ~
Rep. Hoare of Williams, and
Twitchell, of Cass, contended that the
new emergency clause amendment
precluded the necessity Of a separate
roll call, while Rep. Burtness Of
Grand Forks, and one or two others
declared that it was necessary, mas
much as one might desire the adop-
ton of the bill, but would not desire
its immediate operation.
i; On motion of Hoare, it was decided
to have the chair appoint a commit
tee of three to ask the attorney, gen
eral for a ruling .3..% s..
The same question came up in the
senate, when roll call on an emer-
gency was asked. Senator jacobson
is of Mott, declared that a separate roll
call was not needed. He gave the
same argument as Rep. Twitchell.
Both declared that section 202 of the
constitution said that the emergency
clause should contain the words "'For
the peace, health and safety Of the
state, which contingency should be
determined by separate vote. The
leagues constitutional amendment ell
inmates the words, "Peace, health
and safety" and provides for only the
ordinary emergency. The contention
is that there is no provision for sep
arate roll call on an ordinary emer-
gency, and that, therefore, if a bill
with an emergency clause passes by
two-thirds vote of those voting, the
emergency also has carried.
This is the opinion Of number of
attorneys who have studied the new
emergency amendments. If the at
torney general rules that their con-
tention is correct, the league leaders
will find it comparatively easy to hur-
. ry all their measures through, fol-
: they have their legislators lined up
to vote on all caucus bills. A num-
ber of these legislators undoubtedly
would vote against the emergency
clause, but would vote for the bill
Under the Interpretation given on the
floor of the house anu senate yester.
day, they would then be forced to
vote for the emergency and it would
be a Titanic task to refer the mas.
ure to vote of the people. Townley
and Lemke undoubtedly have thot
this thing all out, for they are both
very happy in the knowledge that
!, they have everything their own way
today.
Bill Found Unconstitutional
The house highway committee to.
day withdrew the bill authorizing E
four million dollar bond issue fo1
highway purposes. The committee
discovered that the bill was unconsti
tutioinal, so it was recalled. Senator
King, as a corrective measure. intro
duced concurrent resolution amend
ing the constitution so as to provide
for the issuance Of fifty million dol
Tz Os~7so1 II