The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-17

may never reach the public. There
was much debate; heated argument,
intense excitement and high feeling.
That 1uuCh could be deduced from
gluimpses- obtained through the glass
barriers. AT one time matters become
SO complicated that Chief Clerk Tot
ten was dispatched to the public tele-
phone to summon Paddock, law part
ner of Jim Manahan of St. Paul, and
one OF the leagues cOunsellors,l to
give the league, majority legal .ad-
vice which would extricate them from
webs woven by the minority. - And
that was full hour before house fin
ally rose from executive session and
adjourned. ....
THE matter ID closed unless furth.
err evidence is introduced" said a
member of the special committee APP
pointed to, investigate the bribery
charges. I'VE left off just where we
began, l. do not know that we have
power to do anything. I do not know
that, under the circumstances, there
will be any further effort to COMPEL
tho member who admits that he was
offered a bride to divulge the name Of
the briber. l am not certain that we
could compel him to give up this in
formation. We have only hearsay evil
dence= as to the identity Of this al,
legged briber. cannot say whether 1t
is sufficient to- warrant sumomning
him before the house. We are, SO far
as I con see, at istandstill in: the
matter. We have lost a whole legis.
lative day without getting anywhere"
Demanding Immediate Action.
Representative O'Connor lin urging
the adoption Of his resolution, demand
ed immediate action. He insisted that
the integrity of every member of the
house had been brought into question
and that a blow had been struck at
the very roots pfgrepresentatiye gov.
enhm E.S He explained the laws re-
1a61g to bribery and corrupt he
declared the penalties, ranging from
fivesto ,eten years imprisonment and
from 81, 900 to $4,000 fine, or both,
had been made severe for the very
purpose Of maintaining the purity of
the legislative body.
A league member followed O'Con-
nor's plea with a motion that the reso-
luton be referred to the state affairs
committee. Chairman Maddox of
that committe moved as a substitute
that the resolution be referred to a
special committee to report on the
next legislative day. Reishus of
Ward insisted that the matter was
one calling for immediate action. IF
it is a thing of such commend knowl-
edge that any reporter may pick it up
on the street, over night, this house
should be able to.get to the bottom OF
the question at once" s..
Twieheil Asks Facts.
'This is not q matter for any Sc
lect committee" said Twichell Of Cass.
This is q mater which should COM
nland immediate action before the
house as a whole. 1t is up to the
man making this charge to get up
here, now, and reveal to the house the
name of the person or persons who
attempted to bride him."
Burtness Of Grand Forks also in
sisted upon immediate action of the
house. Questions of friendship or
blood relationship should not prevent
the man to whom this offer was made
from getting up here now and reveal
ing the criminal. 1t is not. a private
mater, between friends, 1t is some
thing much larger, involving the fair
name of every member Of this legisla-
tive body"
League members opposed further
discussion of the matter in the open
house on the, ground that it would
give the would-be briber warning
which might afford him opportunity
to cover up his tracks.
No Need for Secrecy. b
The brfber has received due warn
ing through the publication Of this
story in the morning paper-there car
be no possible excuse for secrecy now
the secrets out, insisted Murtha o.
Stark.
Iwould like to know" said Kelley
of Ramsey, whether Mr.. Maddox II
his plea for secrecy is protecting THU
body or the: editor of this paper"
I'm projecting no one" holly retort
ed the league floor-leader. M
/ Burtness suggested that II the mem
| Der who had received: the offer. Of {;
Ebrfbe objected to talking to the gal
lleries, the house could 60 into execu
tive session, but he. insisted that! tn
/ house was entitled to an explanation
1 He quoted from the. newspaper story
which indicated that the writer kney
I that bride Of $4,000 had been Offer
4 ed: that he knew the member VIII
/ had received the offer, but that til
u yyf1n offcrinR ff{c shrihe ssvras = n<irans1
II friend, who pledged the membr i
secrecy ~
The identity; Of the lobbyists I
known, r.. 'ssss
League Legislators discussed Ii
Whole Aflady, IN executive ,seSstOn {
caucus last nigh" rea4 EB1Sthess
quoting the league newspatef story.
m league legislators dld that, !
fcaucas last night, there should 10 =
| obtoetjoa- to discussing i ~ froel