The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-01-31
ASSEMBLY HALF
GONE; [, NJ; FEW LAWS A
TO BE ENACTED
Peculiar Situation Arising to
Make Real Legislation Diff. Z
cult to Pass,
LOTS OF WORK AHEAD
Very Important Measures to BE
ackled,.in Last Thirty
Four Days

AOuA 4/SSy
] AS the legislature swung into 1t!
2Sth day today, the members wer'
faced with the task of enacting al
legislation that is to be enacted BY
this assembly in the last half OF the
session.
No constructive legislation, in fact
no legislation has been accomplished
No definite program of legislation i
before either the senate or the house
No big measures have yet been tackled
by either branch Of the assembly. Ye'
in the four remaining weeks therf
are some very important measures u
be acted upon.
The legislature has actually beer
in session nineteen days, excluding
the recess and Sundays. During tha'
time the house has passed seven bills
and four concurrent resolutions anc
the senate has passed eight bills anc
three concurrent resolutions. NO bll
bill has gone to the governor for sig
nature. The time for Introduction oi
appropriation bills, except on suspen'
sion of rules, has passed.
~Let Well Enough Alone"
No effort has been made by elthel
independents or Nonpartisans tc
evolve real program Of legislation
The Nonpartisans, at the start TOOK
the attitude of "let we'll enough
alone" and either felt that they hac
nut the laws on the statute BOOKS
necessary to accomplish their pro
gram, or were afraid to risk division
among their members with Legislation
Of importance. @ II.
On the Independent side the atti-
tude has been taken that ANY pro
gram" presented should be the result
of the experience and study OF the
members of the legislature. Had the
leaders attempted to put up a pro
gram at the beginning OF the session
they would have been open to the
5 charge of dictation, they say. Bu'
there are indications that out OF the
experience of the first half Of the as.
sembly members will attempt to work
out a constructive program The big
gest task of the Independents, i'll the
opinion Of many. is blocking wild
legislation, cutting appropriations to
the bone and making a thorough
probe OF the management of state in
dustries. nrA
Yet there are many measures OF
real importance to the state which
have some chance of enactment, at
least for which real battles will be
waged. Some Of these are:
-. Some Important Measures. T.,
Senator Nelson's bills, backed
by Chief Justice Robinson, repeal
ing the "new tangled" tax laws,
tax on attorneys and act requlr-
ing years experience OF coal
miners before they can work in
mines in North Dakota.
A rural credits bill, expected to
be proposed by the Independents
in the house.
Development Of the cooperative
marketing plan, for Which Sena-
tor Church's bill is an opening
wedge.
The mill tax for state institu-
tions and abolition, of four state
educational. institutions.
= Revision of primary and election
laws.
Revision of income tax and
other tax laws, proposed by the
state tax commissioner.
Reducing the $S.600,00O budget
bill-the biggest biennial budget
bill in the states history.
2. Senate Quiet Place.
The senate has done practically
nothing. With the political fights in
the house it was expected by many
observers that the senate would get
down to a consideration Of the bust
ness affairs of the state and evolve
some legislation of real merit.
The Independents in the house, be-
ing in the majority, were looked to
by observers to initiate practically all
constructive legislation that was to
be proposed, in view of the admins
trations "stand pat attitude. How
Continued on page 81