The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-02-11
Motion TO Substitute Amend.
ments Offered BY Rep. Fer
ris, Making Bill Conform
With One Passed BY Sen
ate, For Those Offered BY
Committee, Loses, 81 to so

The first open skirmish in the
North Dakota house on tnr
flour label bill, passage of
which was asked by Gov.
ernor A. &. Sorlie in his message to
the legislature and which has met
stern opposition from the lndepend-
ents, resulted in victory for the In
dependents Thursday.
The house committee Of the whole
approved the measure only after hav-
ing removed from it practii lily all
Of the features which the governor
wanted. AS recommended for pass.
age the bill provides that millcrs may
label their flour to show the kind of
wheat from which it is made. As
advocated by the governor the bill
would have required that all millcrs
must so label their product.
A bill which passed the senate in
substantially the same form asked
by the executive has not yet been
considered by the house. It is prob
able that the house will take final
action on the amended measu to-
day or Saturday.
Nonpartisan members bitterly op.
posed the committee amendments ia
the measure and supported amend.
ments offered by Fred Ferris, Mel.
son county, which would have made
the bill correspond to that already
passed by the senate.
The Ferris amendments would have
applied the bill only to flour sold 70,
consumption within the state. Open
ing the debate Ferris expressed hope
that the house members would dis
regard the arguments Of the Indc.
pendents, who, he said, have moro
lawyers, and consider only the facts
Claims Bill Would Benefit Farmer.
Commenting on protests against the
bill made by millers at hearing re.
Gently, Ferris said ne thought the
millcrs at the hearing should have
been lawyers instead and said that
the bill had been satisfactory to the
head miller at the Russell Miller
flour mill at Grand Forks. He also
quoted the president Of the state
agricultural college, as saying he
couldn't see why anyone should vote
against the bill.
The measure, he said. is intended
to advertise North Dakota hard spring
wheat and is great bill for the
farmers Of this state" 1t woult
force out-of-state millers to show
how much North Dakota wheat i.
contained in their flour and woult
increase the consumption of flour
made in the state since North Dako
tans want nothing but the best, he
contended. The amendments Offered
by the Independents he character
lied as nothing but chaff" and add.
ed ''that's just about what they tr!
to give the farmer all the time."
Answering Ferris arguments, L. l.
Twichell, majority floor leader anG
chief opponent Of the bill. said, every
miller who has been heard from has
opposed the bill as presented, but
stated that the millcrs are satisfied
with the committees amendments.
Outlining the history Of the bill
Twichell said that the governor in.
sisted in his first conversation with
him that certain provisions regard
ing protein be included in the bill
and objected to the provisions in
cluded in it which he later ap.
proved Of. The reason. Twichei
said, is that tests show the highest
grade flour made at the state mill
and elevator is the lowest in protein
content and that Twichell had sug.
gested that fact to the governor, who
Continued on page three.)