The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-19
TALK RECALL
IF ELECTION
BILLS PASSED
NOnpartisanS Announce In
tentiOn to Refer Measure
to Statewide Vote
S. B. 233 STANDS TEST
Receives Majority in House
of Representatives on
Committee Report

ing separation of state and national
candidates on election ballots ana
providing for non-party state cleo
tions, will be decided within the next
few days.
Senate bill No. 233, the non party
state election bill, the crux of the
program, survived the first test in
the house. Independent leaders were
confident they could push the bills
through
Solid Nonpartis"n opposition and
the vote of Rep Rabe. Independent
Stark failed TO stop S. B. 233 in the
first test. There is so much opposi-
ton to the prograM, however, that it
will not be recorded as sure of pass
ing until the final vote is taken.
Modification Of the requiremer
that candidate for state office must
have 10 per cent Of the votes cast
for that Office at the preceding cleo
tion to get on the ballot-which in
the case of candidate for governor
would be 10000 to 10000 signatures
was regarded as a concession to
the opposition.
The measure also was amended to
provide the words Republican and
Democrat may appear after a candi-
dates name, bat only in combination
with other words and providing the
two words may appear in the same
statement of principles.
Recall Talked.
Rep. Maddox, Nonpartisan, served
notice the bills would be referred to Il
vote of the people. In this connec-
tion it has become known that many
Nonpartisans are advocating the ref
erendum of these measures, which
fore the voters because they were
defeated at an election in 1921, anu
are proposing a recall of Governor
Nestos at the same time, the cam
paign to be based in part on the rec
ord of the present session of the leg
islature.
The requirement that n candidate
have 10000 to 12,0C0 signatures @.
petition before he can become
candidate, they claim, prevents the
ordinary citizen from becoming y
candidate for state Office except at
the dictates of a big political faction.
Divorcement Of state and national
politics and limitation or the politi-
cal fight in North Dakota to a clear
cut battle between the Independents
and the Nonpartisans is frankly Civ
en- by Independent leaders as the ain.
Of the bill, asserting that on more
than one occasion the Nonpartisars
have been able to sweep into pOwe.
in the state by minority vote,
caused by the division of anti-leag-
uers under the banners of the Re.
publican and Democratic parties.
How Amendment Reads.
Chief among the provisions of the
senate bill ,as amohded in the house,
is that every candidate for state Of
flee must on petitions for place On
the primary ballot names equal to
five per cent of the vote cast at the
last preceding election for this Office,
the house amendu ent reducing this
requirement from 10 to per cent.
With 100000 to 100000 votes usually
cast for governor a candidate would
be required to have from 10000 to
$4,000 names on petitions to get o.
the primary ballot.
The bill as it ca.le from the sen
ate. providing that the candidate
might designate his affiliation or
statement Of principles after his
name on the ballot in three words,
and providing that ''in such state
ment the use Of the words Republi-
can or Democrat or any combna-
tion of words that indicate affiliation
of the candidate with respect to
either the Republican or Democratic
parties or any nationally organized
political party" was amended to pro-
vide that use of these designations
"shall not be permitted except in
combination with another word OF
words which shall correctly indicate
the faction, within either Of such
parties with relation to state issues,
to which the candidate belongs; pro-
vided that the words Republican and
Democrat may be SO used co-jointly,'
and permitting US. Of five words in
the statement Of principles instead
of three.
The bill provides that no candidate
shall be duly nominated at the pri-
mary unless he receives at least as
many votes as the number of sigma
lures required on petitions, which In
per cent.
Candidates double the number to
be chosen for an Office would be nom-
mated in the prim~ry, and 60 on the
election ballot in the fall.
The names of candidates for ono
Office would 60 in one column on the
ballot, rotating position. The nom
marty ballot would be headed estate
Ballot"
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