The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-05-26
SUSPENDSLA
TILLELECTI0N
If SUFFICIENT
Bank Measure Is First To b.
Attacked Through Request
For Vote on Law
OTHERS TO FOLLOW
Election Law Petitions Suffi-
cient Now, to be Filed Next
Week, Frazier Says

The first petitions asking for REF
erendum on law enacted by the
1923 legislature were filed m the o.
flee of Secretary of State Thomas
Hall shortly before noon today IT,
Frank o. Hellstrom Of Bismarck. Nj
Hellstrom said there were TAO
names on his petitions for vote ot
the people on section 2 of senata
bill No. 375, validating the bank taN
settlement. The petitions will he
nouncement is made whether thcy
are sufficient.
r. w. Frazier, chairman Of thc
Republican State Committee, was in
Bismarck today, said that he haG
sufficient signatures to obtain RET
erendum on three election laws Of
the last legislature, and would tiIe
petitions with the Secretary of Starc
Monday or Tuesday.
1t is expected the Nonpartsi y
League executive committee will ti'c
petitions for referendum on S.
other laws, making total of tep
on which a vote of the people wi
be asked
The last day for filing petitions t.
refer laws of the legislature is So
days after the last day of the SO.
sion: and Deputy Secretary of Stat
NJ. w. Duffy says this date is Ma.
81. Petitions will be accepted unit
5 p. m. on that day.
Section Referred.
The section which Mr.. Hcllstron
proposes to refer reads as follows:
Section, 2. Boards of County Com.
missiOners and the tax commissioner
are hereby authorized to compro.
mise and settle taxes assessed upon
bank stock for the year 1919, 1920,
1921, which have not already been
compromised, settled and paid upon
the same basis of settlement upoI
which nearly all Of the banks of tn
state have paid taXeb for such year
The settlement of the taxes upou
bank stock for the years 1919. 192U
and 1921, heretofore made by the -a&
commissioner and carried into eff
by boards of County Commission
is in all things hereby ratified an
confirmed"
His committee for petitioners
F. L. Hellstrom, Bismarck; Fran.
L. Brandt, Bismarck; A. N. Fulker-
son, Devils Lake; Herbert Hard, FL:
60; Thorwald Mostad, Minot.
The supreme court held that TIE
legislature had failed TO enact ,aN
on state bank stock for the yen
1919. 1920 and 1921. The bankers
agreed to pay tax on so per CEN
assessment. which they said was the
same as on other similar stock, ard
the settlement was approved by stat
officials. Ali but few banks in 7ht
state paid the tax.
Mr.. Hellstrom said that he wante:
to thank those who signed his pet.
tions.
Mr.. Frazier proposes to refer 20
vote Of the people( in the Novemler
1924 election, the three major elcc
tion laws of the assembly: includinS
the so-called no-party state electic0
law. the law providing for separ-
ate primary for the selection of can-
didates for United States Offices. me
election laws wer ecalled a part g
the l. V. A. program.
With the filing of petitions bear-
ing the names Of but 1000 legal ,ot-
ers law enacted by the lcgislature
may be referred to vote of the reo-
pie. BY filing 10000 the petitioH.
may direct a special election. In the
ordinary course with less than 50,
900 names filed the question are auh.
mitted to voters at the next electioa,
The Governord may call a special
election.
Theodore G. Nelson, president o.
the l. V. Aft has said he favors cali
ing special election in late June or
July if the laws are referred. Co.
ernor Nestos has not made publ
his attitude in this respect.
League Referendum.
The proposed league referendu N
would include: the bill appropriatina
$10,953.65 for the house investigatjon
into state industries in 1921: s B.
267. putting power of winding up af-
fairs of banks in the supreme court
and commissioner; S. B. $50, re-
writing the guaranty of bank de
posits act, giving guaranty fund com
missioner power over banks; S. 3.
152. providing banks may merge;
s. B. 204. requiring the full text Of
laws to be printed on ballots whom
referred and S. B. 26f, providing for.
board Of managers for the sta 1
mill and elevator.
CITY NOT RESPONSIRIE