The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-01-11
MINORITY IN
CAUCUS TALK
AMENDMENTS
Question as TO How 10 Vote To-
day on League Plans Is
Taken Up Last Night
ACTION SEEMS ASSURED
N0npartisans Have More Than
Safe Majority in Both
Houses of Assembly

Minority members of the house and
senate, numbering about As, held their
first caucus Friday evening. when they
discussed the course which they will
pursue in voting upon the ratifica-
ton of the league amendments. Con-
current resolutions ratifying six of the
seven amendments initiated at the
recent general election will be placed
on their third reading and final pas
sage in the house this afternoon. A
seventh concurrent resolution intro
duced by the state affairs committee
and referred back to it, was at the
request Of the state affairs committee
yesterday rereferred to the judiciary
committee, and it is not known wheth-
er it will come out or not.
Some minority members last even
ing expressed their intention Of voting
against all of the league amendments,
the two which received majority of
all the legal votes cast at the recent
election, as required by the initiative
amendment to the constitution, as we'll
as the five which did not receive a
majority of all the votes but which
the state canvassing board, by a to
2 vote, has declared passed by ma
JOllty VI CllC VOttS CdSL S0VcTdlly lot
and against the issues.
The initiative amendment to the con-
stitution makes ratification by a ma
jority of all the members of both
houses Of the general assembly the
final step in the adoption of consti-
tutional amendment originating with
the people. Should a majority of the
members of both houses not ratify
the proposed amendments would be
referred to the electors, and they
would require a majority Of all the
legal votes cast at the next general
election to install them in the consti-
tuition without ratification from the
general assembly.
There is no doubt as to the leagues
power to general sufficient number
of votes in each house to ratify it's
amendments, without awaiting action
from the supreme court on the five
amendments whose approval is ques-
toned. The recalcitrant minorities
who have expressed their intention OF
voting against the two amendments
which were, approved by the people
assert that they are following their
own best judgment in the matter, as
the initiative amendment to, the CON
stitutiont clearly .contemplates, should
be done. A. majority OF the minority
members in both houses WILL, how
ever. vote to ratify the two amend
ments which received a clear majority
Of all the votes cast at the recent
election. Every minority member sof
each house is committed to a negative
vote on the five amendments which
did not receive a majority Of all the
votes cast. y ". -
The vote on the five contested
amendments in the house this after
noon probably will be n to IS, if all
members except Robert Wadeson of
Cass, who has been excused for the
week because of q death in his fam
lily, are present and voting. In the
senate the vote will run about IS to
IL, or possibly IS to IA.
An effort will be made this after
noon to bring the amendment before
the house in committee of the whole,
in order that the most important step
the state has ever been asked to take
may be presided by free and delib-
crate discussion. The house went
into committee Of the whole on House
Bill A two years ago, when many
hours were devoted to an Illuminating
debate. 1t is presumed by the; minor
ity that there will be noh more in
clination to apply gag rule at this
time then ther was two years ago,
when the relative strength in the
house was about the same.