The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-27
POLITICS TO
PLAY PARTI IN
LEGISLATURE
Many Complex Situations
May be Developed in
Forthcoming Session
CONTROL is DIVIDED
Efforts to Capture Complete
Control of State Indus.
tries May Feature
CONTROL is DIVIDED

With no definite program as yet
advanced by any faction, with control
apparently divided and with no ma
jor problems looming to engross in
terest, the forthcoming session of
the state legislature is expected to
develop situations which may have
considerable effect on the immediate
political future of the state.
Some concrete problems Of finance
must be tackled by the legislature,
revolving around the state industrial
program and the conflict which is
becoming more apparent each year
between the industries and other
branches of the state government for
the tax money allowed by law. Tax
laws and state institutions thus are
thrown into sharp relief as among
the questions of first Importance to
come before the assembly.
The attitude which A. G. Sorlie,
Governor-elect. and his League CO.
horts take with respect to the state
legislature is an unknown factor
,
liberations of the assembly. As a re-
suit of his campaign, Mr.. Sorlie has
generally been held to be faced with
the job Of conducting the state mill
and elevator at Grand Forks, while
control and management Of the Bank
of North Dakota will be kept under
Attorney General George Shafer and
Commissioner of Agriculture and La
Dor Joseph A. Kitchen, Independents,
comprising the majority on the In
| dustrial Commission.
Several proposals made for chang
ing control of the state industries
have emanated from various quarters.
Mr. Sorlie has been quoted as saying
| that he must be given control of the
: Bank of North Dakota, and Nonpar-
:! tisan League newspapers have urged
| that Messls. Shafer and Kitchen sur
render this. control. One Nonparti-
san is autho4rity for the statement
; that several Independents have de-
| clared willingness to change the in
| dustry laws to give Sorlie abs solute
1 control of the state mill. Because of
the fact that a two-thirds vote is re-
| quiled to change most Of the laws re-
| lating to the state industries, how
ever, it is held doubtful if any mark
ed change will be made.
Blanket Appropriation
One proposal has been made that
priation of 81 100000 to be used in
conducting the Grand Forks mill, and
that when, or If, this is exhausted,
the mill be closed. 1t is held pro-
bable that League legislators will
make an effort to repeal the law
creating a board of managers for the
Grand Forks mill, which may be done
by majority vote.
| A prominent League legislator de-
clared recently that he favored pass
ing the appropriation bills and a few
others and adjourning the session, a
proposal which has been made before
but not carried out. He also assert
ed that the League would make pro-
posals for changing the tax laws OF
the last session of the legislature,
under which, he asserted, railroad
taxes were lowered.
| Publicity for income tax returns,
pushed without success in the last
session of the legislature, is expect
| ed to be urged at the forthcoming
session, and multitude of bills
changing the present tax laws is ex-
pected.
Organization Fight
An organization fight may develop
in the state senate at the inception
of the session, according to reports.
The paper strength" of the Senate
shows the Independents one in the
majority with Walter Maddox, Lieu
tenant Governor, Lacquer, the pre-
siding officer. Usually the presiding
officer has been responsible for nam
ing of the Senate committees, and in
the last session Lieutenant Governor
Hyland saw to it that they were we'll
divided between Nonpartisans and
Independents. 1t is reported that In
dependents may seek to control the
Senate organization by naming a
committee on committees and taking
the matter entirely out of the hands
| of the Lieutenant Governor.
In the House, the Leaguers will
have clear majority, and will name
the speaker. But four names have
been prominently mentioned for the
post. They are F. A. Vogel of Cole
harbor, who appears to have the in
side track for the place, although he
says he is not candidate; J. H.
Burkhart of Ward county, B. C. Lar
kin, and Mrs. Minnie Craig. None Of
these has made announcement of as
pirations for the place.