The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-01-15
CAPITOL NOTES

Bismarck, N. D., Jan. 14.-Bishop
Lemke arguing for the administrator
the constitutionality of House Bill go
which declares all acts of the special
assembly to have been emergency
measures and effective December 81,
uncovered figures that are sensational
and the material far reaching, accord
ing to Assistant General Edward B.
Cox, who with Assistant Attorney
General Albert E. Sheets, Jr., ap-
Deared for the officials punished by the
league.
According to Cox the state by de-
creasing the state taxes rs per cent
has rung up on the register new
deficiency of over 100000.
Lemke in his argument before the
supreme praying for the sustaining OF
court praying tor the SUSTAINING OF
fact that the statute providing for
decrease in state taxes tor general
purposes, except the soldiers bonus
and state sinking fund, passed with
the emergency clause attached and
was not disputed.
He declared then that House Bill "A
which decreases the appropriation TOR
the expense of the attorney general S
secretary of states and state audi
tors and other departments was offset
by the IS percent decrease in state
taxes. Lemke argued that inasmuch
as the IS percent decrease was IN e1-
feet. it was absolutely vital that
House Bill A be in effect through the
declaration of House Bill go that all
measures were emergency acts.
Cox in his brief states: Il have
before me a statement issued by the
state tax commission which deals with
the reduction in appropriations made
by House Bill A. The records of the
State Board of Equalization show that
the total tax raised by the state levy
excluded funds raised for the soldiers
bonus and the interest and sinking
funds for state bonds amounted to
s3,453,9O7. The rs per cent reduction
in taxes did not affect those taxes
levied for the soldier bonus nor for in
terest and sinking fund Therefore
divide the total tax raised by four, we
find that House Bill SO reduced the
state taxes 1884, 500.
''In other words the assets of the
state, the money with which the ap-
preparations made by the last regular
session Of the legislature were to be
paid is reduced over $S5O,OOO.
Cox shows that the net decrease IN
expense account appropriations made
by House Bill "A totals $123,592 and
adds "The taxes were reduced 1854 ,5OO
and the expenses $4,000, cor the
state taxes are reduced rs per cent
and the expenses but three and halt
per cent.
Showing that House Bill "A should
not be an emergency measure and that
if House Bill so is held constitutional
the administration has gotten itself
into fine jackpot while holding a
bobtailed flush, Cox sums up the sit
uation by saying at is thus clear that
if the figures of the tax commission
in the statements which they are send
ing broadcast throughous the state,
are correct, Mr.. Lemke is wrong. And
regardless of the fact whether House
Bill Al goes into effect now on July l,
if his argument is correct, the tax
PAYERS of North Dakota must make
up next year or some subsequent year
a deficit of approximately $741 900,
which deficit will occur according to
Mr.. Lemke's argument because H. 5.
Al does not go into effect Immediately
but which in reality will occur because
the income of the state, the taxes,
were reduced by the last session OF
the legislature twenty-five per cent
while they reduced the appropriation
or expense of the state but three and
"a half per cent"
Several papers in the state have