The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-07

Sixteen bills have been sig
of which because emergency
laws, and more were ready tt
pared with a record of no la,
by the 1921 legislature. Of
the Governor 13 were senate a
The last flood of bills has
the already big subjects of thu
eral subjects are: Election !
ways, banks, economy, and sta
The highways program has become'
this week one of the biggest questions
of the "big six" and promises to form
the subject for one of the hottest
fights of the assembly in which part;
lines will be broken.
Election Program.
The election laws program is that
of the Independent leaders, and IT
was completed in the introduction or
additional bills in the assembly late
yesterdayNr 1t embraces: one election
law providing for abolition Of party
lines in the selection of state Offices,
n companion law providing United
States ballot" on which candidates
for general offices will be selected
through party affiliations, and anoth-
er bill providing the basis of repre-
sentation or the state party commit
tees shall be one for each 1000 votes
or fraction thereof instead of on.
each legislative district
The non-partyl state election bill
was approved on committee report in
the state senate late yesterday.
There is however, considerable op-
position to the proposal to abolish
party lines in state elections, partly
based on the ground that similar law,
were submitted to the people in 1921
and DEBATED. Senator Thorson also
calling on congress to submit a con-
stitutional amendment providing A.
year terms for congressman and g.
year terms for U. S. senator's.
The tax program moved forward
also when the state senate passed the
administration income tax bill, de-
signed to raise approximately half of
the sttae general fund revenue. In
cluded in this program are bills pro.
vding for Limitation of tax levics,
classification of property for taxa.
tion. removal of all exemptions ex-
cept 5000 on personal property and
other bills on the same subject, and
the county budget system which
practically re-writes the school dis
trict budgeting laws.
Several bills are pending affecting
the state highways program. There
is the program of the North Dakota
Good Roads association, embraced in
constitutional amendment and
three bills, all of which are designed
to strengthen the state highway COM
mission, to provide system of state
highways and to turn all motor ve-
hicle receipts into the highways
fund. These bills are still held in
committee.
Among the Bills in opposition is
one placed before the hosue on the
last day by four members, Repre-
sentatives Vogel, Miller, Rustad and
! Mcdowell. 1t reduces the state high
way commissions appropriation and
provides for winding up of federal
aid work. All motor vehicle license
receipts excepting those needed to
run the, motor vehicle registration
department and the highway commits
sion until the federal aid work would
we wound up, would 60 to counties
in proportion to the amount collect
ed.
Demand Road Program. i
Officers of the North Dakota Good
Roads association and other good
roads supporters are demanding that
the roads association program or one
equally as good be put into effect
Already declarations have been made
that if the legislature abolishes the
good roads work there will be a
"good roads party" in the field two
years from now.
Banking Program.
/ The banking program includes pro-
posal for repeal Of the guaranty fund
commission law after 1924, submis-
sion to vote of the people a bond is
sue of $7,5OO,00O with which to pay
depositors of closed banks, q bill
giving the Depositors' Guaranty Fund
Commission greater power over
banks, enabling it to make weak
banks strengthen themselves if they
remain under the protection Of the
guaranty fund, giving it control Of
closed banks and giving the supreme
court original jurisdiction in bank
receiverships. There also is the bill
permitting the consolidation Of banks
which passed the senate late yester
day, and which, its sponsor says,
may result in so consultations in
Nnrfh naknta evrrifht,n, tuyn vnora ~