The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-01
Veterans Service
Commissioner Bill
Passed BY House
.(Continued from page one)

i (Continued from page oneJ
Bismarck post had voted to opposed
it.
Gordon Cox, Bismarck, charged
that the local post had opposed the
bill in it's original form but favored
| it as later amended BY the senate
AS amended the life Of the law is
limited to two years and the salary
OF the veterans commissioner was
reduced from $4,000 to $4,000 4 year
Reductions also were made in the
appropriations for travel and clerk
hire.
A number of communications from
Legion posts were read and the bill
was recommended for passage with
out record vote.
Laist Pension Killed
The bill to pension William Laist,
head janitor at the capitol building
for the last 80 years, met defeat
when Mrs. Minnie D. Craig, Benson
county, charged that the legislature
would be setting peculiar precedent
by legislating Il man into office for
an indefinite period. The bill pro-
vided that Laist would be continued
on the. state payroll as long as he
was able to work and after that he
would draw a pension Of $50 month.
Mrs. Craig pointed out that others
have served the state almost as long
as Laist and they too should be con.
sidered if pensions were to be
granted.
l.. l.. Twichell, majority floor lead
err, led the fight for the bill. He
agreed that others should be pension
ed when they have served long and
faithfully in mental positions.
D. l.. Peters, Pierce county, point
ed out that big corporations pension
their aged employees and averred it
is only fitting that the state should
reward faithful servant for mer-
itorious service"
McCay raised the question Of how
much property Laist owns, contend
ing that he is ''well-fixcd" and does
not need a pension.
The vote to kill the bill was SIS to
ga and the clincher was added.
A bill 20 increase the exemptions
permitted under the state income tax
law was killed with almost no argu.
ment. A majority of the committee
on taxes recommended it for post
ponement while minority urged its
passage An attempt to throw the
measure into general orders for
amendment failed and it was killed
| &c TO %. The clincher was added.
Voter Can Ask for Any Ballot
The bill permitting voters to ask
for any ballot they wish when they
come 20 the polls at the primary
election carried, despite Nonparti.
san opposition.
H. F. SWEET, kidder county, charged
that the bill is an attempt to revive
a proposal which was beaten when i,
was referred to the people in 1925
and would do away with politica
parties. The intention, he said. i.
| 20 keep factional government alive
in North Dakota by changing The
election law. The present statute re
quires voter to state his party at
filiations when the assessor calls or
him in the spring.
| Lynch commended that the bill il
| fair !nasmuch as il gives the voter
an opportunity to change his mine
as TO the party primary in which hi
| when he now announces his affilia
tions, and June when the primar,
election is held.
] r. f. Swendseid, Mountrail county
said voters can change their part,
affiliations between those period!
now, if they wish, and that the ef
feet Of the bill would be to d,
away with party lines.
/ Twichell objected that the bill
applies only to country districts ant
small towns and not to cities ane
contended That all voters shoult
have the privilege granted by tn,
bill. In a recent opinion the attorne,
general held that voters NAV no
change their party affiliation b!
declaration at the voting booth
TwichelI said. A motion to kill tn
bill was defeated, IS to 81, and TIL
measure was recommended.
| An effort by the legislators L
raise their own pay 50 day, b;
making it added compensation 70
committee work, failed when Attor
ney General Shafer advised the hous
that the concurrent resolution Al
ready passed by the senate woul
not be valid.
! Shafer pointed out that all .appro