The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-02-22
SENATE ACTS
ON ALL BUT 5
OF ITS BILLS
Upper Body Recesses Until
Wednesday M0rning-Sev-
eral Brisk Fights

Ill a SeSSlOH 'IilNtIttu ny SeNSIdi
sharp clashes and bitter fight over
passage Of the measure increasing |
high school tuition rates, the state |
senate worked overtime Monday to
dispose Of u measures and clean its
slate of all but five senate bills.
The remaining senate bills will be
disposed of Wednesday morning, the
senate reccssing over Washngton's |
birthday in preparation for the last
dash to send senate measures to the
house before the constitutional time
limit expires Wednesday noon.
Other measures which were pass
ed over stiff opposition included tn
bill requiring private insurance com
panies doing business in North Da
kota to underwrite insurance policies
in excess of 100000 carried by the
state fire and tornado fund, and "A
resolution petitioning congress to
pass the bill repeating the inner
itancc tax on estates.
A measure that would make state
federal income tax exemptions con
form with the federal exemptions,
except that state exemptions for
single men would be $1,000. was
defeated when it. mustered only "a
votes, one short Of the required CON
stitutional majority.
The Ettestad bill on savings ac
counts passed by the senate provides
new system of protection for ac-
counts not exceeding $1,000. Two and
one-half per cent is made the maxi
mum interest rate when may be paid
on such accounts. but it is provided
that they may be used by the banks
only for their legal reserve or for in
vestment in public securities.
Assets representing these accounts
must be kept separate from other as
sets Of the bank, and may not be
pledged for any purpose Violation
Of these provisions is made a felony,
but in the event that they are violat-
ed. and the bank becomes insolvent,
this class of savings depositors are
made preferred creditors.
Sets Liability Limit
The bill setting limit for liability
Of the state workmen's compensation
bureau to $4,000 in cases of total
permanent disability or death was
passed without debate. Nonpartisan
league senators were divided on the
measure.
An attempt to revive the bill
sponsored by Governor A. &. Sorlic
which would provide for the estab
iISHHlcHL Ol Il Sldlc TdulO
ing station was definitely killed
when Senator John W. Benson, Ro-
lettc county, was denied permission
to have the bill reconsdcred for the
purpose of substituting a new mea-
sure.
Having vigorously attacked the
bill in the morning session, several
senators returned to the fray to fight
passage of the high school tuition
increase from Sl.50 to $3.50. How
ever, before its passage it was
amended to make the tuition 81 a
week.
A motion to indefinitely postpone
further consideration Of the bill lost
in the morning, and when it came up
as Il special order Of business in the
afternoon, Senator ID. II. Hamilton,
McHenry county, declared that it
would prove too great an expense in
taxes paid by farmers in addition to
the rural school district taxes. He
said that high taxes make it diff
cult to maintain rural schools now,
and that if the bill passed it might
mean discontinuance of several
rural schools.
Senator p. J. Murphy, Walsh coun-
ty, countered with the assertion that
greater hardship would be worked
If the bill was not passed. as hign
schools might refuse to accept tut
tion students at the present rate.
Says Towns Are Benefited
Senator Peder l.. Hjelmstad, also
of Walsh county. contended that
towns gain indirect benefits from
tuition students who board and room
in town while attending school. and
said that the bill would tax outly-
ing districts for the benefit of the
towns.
The measure was defended by Sen
ators +. q. Satire. Steele county, and
W. d. Lynch, LaMoure county. Lynch
said that in most rural districts the
majority of the taxpayers on farm
lands are nonresident owners, and
that railroad taxes are a big aid to
the school districts.
That the high schools should be
built up SO that enough tuition stu
dents attended them to pay more of
the expenses than now was the CON
tention of Senator Ole Ettestad, Nc
Henry county.
Senator G. Patterson, Rcnville
county, attacked the measure with
the assertion that the reason the
majority of the taxes are paid by
non-residents is because high taxes
have driven farmers off their lands,
and said that if the bill became a
law the rest Of the farmers would
be driven away through increased
taxes. He contended that towns
gain indirect benefits from students
who are staying away from home,
and that high schools are an asset to
towns.
An amendment offered by Senator
j. f.. Stevens, Ramsey county, that
would make the increased tuition OPP
tional with the school districts was
defeated after considerable discus
sion, Is to 81.
The bill was passed, q to %, and
the clincher motion was added.
Another spirited discussion re-
suited before the insurance bill, re-
curing private companies doing
business in North Dakota to under
write policies in excess Of 100000
carried by the state fire and tornado
fund, was passed, rs to %, in party
fight.
Senator Q. H. Olson, Eddy county,
cpntcndcd that it would mean
large revenue to private companies,
and asserted that it was time the
people of the state, and not the in
surance companies, were given legis-
lation.
Patterson also jumped into the
battle, contending that it is ridicu-
lous to let insurance lobbyists come
in here and dictate" to the legis-
lature. He said that nothing is done
fpr the farmers, but that some leg
islators fall at the feet Of insurance
companies Several other members
argued both for and against the bill
before it was passed and the clinch-
or motion added.
Two WAS Vote With League
Two Independent senators. Stew
ems and Van Arnam, voted with the
league to defeat the bill raising
state income tax exemptions to con-
f1rm with those Of the federal gov
eminent. There were "a votes for