The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-02-17
HOUSE ACTS
ON 80 BILLS
WEDNESDAY
(Continued from paee onel

Continued from page ons)
mittee had placed the majority bills
on the calendar.
L. l.. Twichell, majority floor
leader, pointed out that the minority
was inconsistent in view of the ac-
ton on the other bills, in attempt
ing to force approval of it's measure.
Explaining the attitude of the ma
jority, he said the state affairs COM
mittec had felt it unwise to ask the
bank to advance the money on the
ground that the state should meet
its own debts and not ask the bank
to do so.
Minnie Craig Leads Attack
Minnie u. Craig, Benson county,
launched the minority attack by
declaring that the Bank Of North
vate banks can do and that private
banks which acquire land on fore
closure never hesitate to pay the
taxes upon it. The Bank Of North
Dakota has sS,0O0,O00 in reserves,
mostly invested outside the state.
she said, and contended that the
land taken over on foreclosure
would be fine investment. The
majority bill, she charged, was mere
~ an attempt to discrcdt the bank
by causing tax levy to be made
to pay delinquent taxes on land
taken over by it. She branded the
majority bills as an "attempt to
raise political thunder" and declared
there was no more excuse for tax
levy for the Bank of North Dakota
than for any other bank acquiring
real estate on foreclosure.
lad AlaA L. L. Sn1,
had nothing to do with the matter
in view of the fact that it is only
the agent for the state in foreclos-
ing on the lands and the further fact
that it has proved impossible to OBJ
tain assignments of tax certificates
issued on the foreclosed land.
"The certificate holders will not
assign their certificates" he said.
"They want their money. Then
when the bank pays the certificates
there is no security for it to hold"
j. H. Burkhart, minority floor
leader, contended that the bank now
has all the authority it needs to
buy up tax certificates and express
ed the view that such a course would
not only prevent the necessity for
tax levy but would make money
for the bank.
A Good Investment
r. E. Swenseid, Mountrail county,
said that in view of the rate of in
terest paid on tax certificates as
compared with interest now paid on
the reserves of the bank it would
be good business for the bank to
take over the certificates.
Twichell reiterated that the certif-
icates can not be obtained by as
signment but must be paid and that
upon payment the security offered
by it vanishes.
A. W. Fowler, Cass county, said he
was astounded that the friends of
the bank should attempt to foist
upon it problem which is really the
states. Citing the situation devel-
oping with regard to the funds to
retire bonds and pay interest upon
them, Fowler said the Nonpartisans
expected to take up the slack result
ing from failure to collect interest
money by borrowing from the bond
retirement fund and to have the
bank function in that connection.
Nonpartisans were attempting to
make the bank dumping ground
for the states financial problems,
he said, because they are afraid to
face the issue before the people and
want to. sidestep for political rea-
sons" Their attitude was inspired
by an ambition to put off the evil
day" he said. The Nonpartisan pro.
gram, he charged, would result in
tying up reserves of the bank in
frozen assets.
Burkhart cited several instances
in which he said the bank had sold
forecloscd land at profit and aver
red that Fowler was taking too pes
simistic view of the situation.
The motion to approve the Non
partisan measure lost, 81 to GO, >and
the clincher motion also was car
s.mff Tax Boosted
The bill to legalize the sale OF
snuff came back to the house We'd
nesday after having been amended
by the state affairs committee and
was again approved. The amend
ments increased the tax from one
cent to three cents on each one and
one-quarter ounces and also changed
the requirements as to placing state
excise stamps on both snuff and
cigarettes. The snuff measure
amends the cigarette law.
A motion by Burkhart that money
raised from the snuff tax pc placed
in the school fund to finance propa'
ganda against the use Of liquor, to-
bacco or narcotic drugs "as now pro-
vided by law" was defeated.
Twichell, who also opposes tho
bill, contended that it is foolish te
license something, place tax upon
paign against the thing licensed. A
motion to kill the bill lost, 81 to Sc
and the measure was placed ON the
calendar for today.
The right of hospitals to operate
as "closed corporations" came unde1
fire when the judiciary committee
recommended defeat Of a bill per.
hitting physicians and chiroprac.
tors to practice in any hospital. The
same bill has been defeated at each
Of the last several sessions.
Gordon Cox, Burleigh county, con.
tended that the bill would reduce
the efficiency Of hospitals by per.
hitting any physician to practice in
it and that the decision as to who
should practice in hospital should
be left to its board Of directors.
Hospital Bill Killed
Twichell objected that if the bill
permitting chiropractors to practice
in hospitals were passed that the
osteopaths and masscurs would BIZ
asking the same privilege at the next
session. All do good work, he said
but have no place in a hospital. Tho
bill was killed, 81 to %.
Another argument resulted wher
the majority Of the appropriations
committee recommended bill car.
rying- 5000 for the operations OF
the state hail insurance department
A minority report urged defeat Of
the measure.
William Watt, Cass county, appro.
priations committee chairman, said
the bill represented an effort to