The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-05
plan TO CHANGE
-.
CONSTITUTION IS
GIVEN TOSENATE
Would Require More Signatures
on Petitions to Prevent
Abuses in Future

Constitutional amendments to re-
quire an increased number of petit
TONERS for the initiation and refer
endum Of measures were proposed in
two concurrent resolutions introduced
in the North Dakota senate Wednes-
day by Senators j. P. Cain, Dickin-
son, Frank E. Ployhar. Valley City,
and P. j. Murphy, Grafton.
Sixty thousand signatures would
be necessary to initiate a measure or
constitutional amendment by petit
ton. while it would take 10000 elec-
tors to refer a bill passed by the leg
iSlature.
Emergency measures would remain
laws until voted upon by the electors,
and could not be suspended by petit
ton as at present. Such a bill could
be submitted to the electors at a spe-
cial election, if 10000 signatures were
obtained on a referendum petition.
Under the present law 10000 sigma
lures are sufficient to initiate a mea-
sure. while 1000 are required to re-
fer a law enacted by the legislature.
To bring about a special election OH a
measure containing an emergency
clause petitions bearing the names Of
10000 electors are necessary.
For initiating a constitutional
amendment, 10000 signatures are
necessary. The second resolution in
troduced would raise this figure to
6 1000.
The proposed change is intended to
meet situations in the future which
may be similar to that created by
JameStoWn'S effort to bring to a vote
the matter of taking the state CAPT.
toll to that city.
The Jamestown use Of the initiative
petition is regarded by sponsors Of
the bill as an abuse which may be re-
peated unless the constitutional pro-
visions governing such action are
frightened up.
The senate state affairs committee
offered a resolution to thank the
state of South Dakota for the SYM
pathy extended after destruction of
the state capitol here by fire. The
resolution was passed and sent to the
house for concurrence.
An optional system Of crop listing.
as recommended by state insurance
Commissioner S. A. Olsness, Is pro-
vided for in a measure introduced by
: Senators George H. Hoople of Hoople,
and Ole Ettestad Of Balfour. This
method would replace the present
= compulsory method.
: It would be the duty of every as
SCISSOR in the state, at the time of the
listing of property for assessment, to
. inquire OF persons whose property is
assessed, II they desire to have any
Of their crops insured against loss by
hail. If a farmer desired to insure
his crops an application would be
made and forwarded to the state hail
insurance commissioner.
Judges Of the supreme and district
courts would obtain a pension if in
: capacitated by age under a measure
introduced by Senator, A. w. Fowler.
Fargo.
Where a judge reaches the age of
~ after 10 years of continuous serv-
ice, he would be entitled to retire and
receive half pay. Judges who be-
come physically or mentally disabled
could also retire on pension.
= Senator Cain proposed a bill to re-
quire the filing of contracts on sale
of real estate when such contract
creates a lien on, or reserves title to,
the crops to be grown on certain
lands.