Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-22
AFTER DARK AT
THE CAPITOL
tBy the Night Watchman.)

bismarck, N. d.. Jan. 22.-Thtngs
have been pretty quiet around the
capitol since the legislature, adjourn
ed 80. suddenly last Wednesday. Most
OF the solons have left either for their
homes or other localities. and will not
return much before the two houses
are called to. order Tuesday. This
hasn't prevented the usual crop of
rumors in regard to the report of the
audit of the. state industries. and 9TH
er matters from coming up as freely
as eyer, but nc, one will really have
n'uch idea of what the real situation
Is until the legislators return.
AS a matter Of fact this session has
been much quieter than those who
We're here for the last two would have
believed to be possible. At least some
OF the bitterness has passed away,
and the leaguers and independents
seem to be able to mingle together on
terms of at least surface friendliness.
This is probably due in a large part
ITO the absence of A. c.. Townley and
the large number of carpet, baggers
who for the two sessions just. preced-
ing this one were obviously the real
forces in control of the actions Of
the league legislators. This year the
leaguers are again operating their
caucus. but it seems to be more of a
state affair, and with the feature Of
outside donInation absent doesn't
rouse the indignation of the indie
pendents. to the same extent as previ-
ousiy.
The attitude of the house Independ-
ents towards the labor bills which
have been introduced was pretty well
shown when h proposed eight-hour
law for all public work was re-
referred to the state affairs committee
for further consideration after that
committee had recommended that it
be indefinitely postponed. The indie
~pendents stand ready and willing to
pass all proper labor legislation and
the provisions of the bill in question
were good ones, but that the measure
as a whole was of too broad a nature,
and should not be passed until some
of the Objectionable features were
eliminated. Several of the house
members who are affiliated with or
ganized labor concurred. lin this view.
AS a matter of fact there is good
: ground for the belief hat the Non
partisans introduced these labor bills
at least partly in the hope that they
would prove the rock on which the
independent majority. in the house
would spit. They hoped that the In
dependents would absolutely refuse to
pass the measures and would thus
ALLEVIATE several labor men who are
attached to their party. This hope
seems certain to ue disappointed.
however, as a result of the reasonable
: attitude which he. Independents in
general, and the labor men in particu-
lar are adopting in connection with
the measures,
Senator Rusch's bill regulating
notes given for considerations, of a
speculative nature was re-referred to
committee by the senate after it had
once been recommended for passage.
1t is said that this action was taken
because some of the league leaders
force the taking of a reef in some of
the so-called cooperative schemes in
which nan of the Nonpartisan chiefs
have been more or. less connected
during the last year or so. The gen.
eral feeling, however. is that the
measure would be an excellent thing
for all real banks and legitimate bust
ness in the state.
Up to the time of adjournment Gov
ernor Lynn J. Frazier and the other
members of the state industrial COM
mission had showed no signs Of COM
plying with the request of the house
that some suggestion be made as to
how the state bonds are to be sold fol-
lowing the action of the commission
in turning down the offer Of the state
bankers to undertake the sale Of these
securities. This explanation when
given. providing it finally is forth
coming may be complicated to some
extent by the statement given out by
the bankers Friday in which the
whole present situation is thoroughly
analysed.
Nonpartisan league members of the
legislature found themselves put in Il
bad box last week by the action Of
the league press in trying to make
political thunder out of the attempt
/ made to nave the legislature adjourn.
for a recess. AS a result Of this when
the leaguers were as anxious as any.
! one to take a recess for the Tri-State
Grain Growers convention they were
afraid to make a motion to that effect
since the Independents had been so
savagely attacked for such a move
ment a few days before. Finally,
however, Walter Maddox of Noun
traill county, the league leader in the
house and Representative Olson of
Billings county. Independent. got to-
gether and a solemn agreement was
made that the adjournment should
not be used as political thunder by
either party. AS a result after nslch
see-sawing back and forth, the adj
iournment motion finally passed both
h0nSnS