The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-03-01
STATE INDUSTRY
ISSUE RISES IN
BISMARCK BILLS
Light Plant Consolidation Plan
Is Defeated in the
.s House ~ @-
PARTY VOTE DECIDE S
Independents Vote Again s
Measures as Commitment
to Ownership ="

Making the proposition of consolida-
ting of the state electric plants to fur
nish electricity to all state buildings
and buildings in the city OF
Bismarck, and to provide con-
sumers and to heat state buildings
straight-out fight between state own
ership and private ownership indie
pendents defeated senate bills Nos. 135
and 1876 yesterday afternoon.
One Independent, Representative
William Bauer. of Sioux county. vot-
ed for senate bill no. 1876, the first
one up for consideration, declaring
that he believed that a state-owned
plant would be for the best interests
OF the people Of the city Of Bismarck
Two members were absent, Repre-
sentative Bjorgo, of Grand Forks and
Rep. Lazier, the latter being ill. The
three Burleigh county Representa-
tives voted against the bill. .,r
The fight was one Of the most spec
tacular on the floor of the house
Speaker Twitchell, taking the floor
opposed the bill. declaring that it
was a question of creating another
state-owned industry There ais,
was fight on the bill OH committee
report on Saturday. The bill on that
day received So votes to 81 against
it, but several Independent Repre-
sentatives who voted for the bill on
committee report turned against it.
Put on ClinCher
After the bill was defeated. the
clincher motion was carried and the
companion bill. no. 1876, was indie
fnitely postponed.
Senate bill no. 1856. was introduced
by Senator Liederbach. 1t provided
for the issuance of $250.000 bonds
for the purpose of making state
owned plant in Bismarck Capable Of
furnishing electricity to the city OF
Bismarck, all the buildings leased by
the state, to Burleigh county and for
the state street car line Senate bill
no. 1876 enabling act.
Biggest Measures, lie Says
Speaker Twitchell, taking the floor
to oppose the bill, declared that 'in
my opinion these two measures are
the most important before this body
He said it was a test whether the
house stood for state ownership or
against it, and characterized the lobby
on the bill as "the most insidious
have ever seen here" He denied il
was local measure, but said it was
q state issue. .@...s,t. .
"If we pass this we can expect NO
help from outside the state" she said.
I'VE have been on drunken orgy
and we would be in the position OF
taking one more drink"
The speaker declared there would
be no recall unless the Independents
knew that if the administration was
changed that money could be brought
into the state, and he declared that Ii
the measure passed money could NOT
be got in.
Representative Hanson, Grand
Forks, Representative Heaton, Bur-
leigh, Representative Vogel of Ramsey
and Representative Kitchen of Golden
Valley all spoke against the bill
Representatives Patterson, Sherman
Reichert, Walter Maddox spoke for
the bill. ... a....-
f Patterson Angry.
Representative Patterson, during his
speech, referred to Speaker witcheips
remarks about the lobby and declar-
ed that perhaps it was some of the
lobbyists he saw him talking to the
other day. The speaker took ex-
ceptions and demanded Patterson
name the lobbyists. During the tense
moments Patterson walked toward
Twitchell, refusing to name the lob
byists and declaring that he had been
steam rolled long enough.
Representative Patterson declared
the bill if passed would do lot OF
good to the people of Bismarck, but
would interfere with monopoly"
Representative Sherman declared
that the bill was designed to give
the people of the city Of Bismarck the
right to have their own electric plant
operated by the state, and to give an
opportunity to have cheap electricity
because prison labor could be used
Cause Of Difficulty
Representative Heaton, Burleigh
said that mo bill before this assembly
has caused the Burleigh county dele
gatiOn-or at least one of them-sC
much difficulty. "He said he wanted
to vote for the bill because he thought
it was for the good of Bismarck bu,
he could not vote for it because he
looked upon it as saddling another
debt on to the state.
Walter Maddox said that the state
is building a bridge at Bismarck, AMI
it was contended that the bridge ought
to be lighted and that there ought
to be white way leading to the
bridge, that it was plain business
proposition and would give the peo-
pie of the city of Bismarck the right
to get electricity from the state al
\ some future time if desired. He said
he had heard that Bismarck business
men have offered to buy s25O,OOO oi
bonds if state light plant were put
\ in that would supply the city of Bis
marck in the future.
During the discussion politics be.
y came rather warm and the discussion
along political lines went SO far from
he subject as to include discussion
what checks. the Bank of North
DNSota was paying and what checks
wye not being paid
Bauer Explains Vote
explaining his vote Representa-
Lis| Bauer said that he voted for thu
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