The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-11
SEEK TO BROADEN
POWERS OF STATE
Land DEPARTMENT
Bill Would Grant Authority to
Lease Mineral Lands for ]
Commercial Development

Permission to lease state OF school
lands believed to contain chemical
substances for commercial develop
ment Is granted to the state land
commissioner In a bill passed by the
house today.
The measure includes lands con-
tanning sodium, gas, allodial or other
clayS and establishes rules and reg
ulationS concerning the development
OF such natural deposits. The bill Is
designed to remedy a condition &C.
curing in northwestern North Da-
kota where extensive sodium deposits
were discovered, but an attempt to
permit development Of the deposits
commercially was prevented when it
was found the land commissioner had
no legal right to lease the land for
this purpose.
Outstanding among the other Is
bills passed by the house were those
defining imitation ice cream and
providing for regulation and licensing
of such manufacturers and dealers,
establishment Of an industry to man
~ufacture automobile license plates at
the state penitentiary, and endorsing
the sale of the Drake state mill.
Proposal to amend the state consti-
tuition so as to prohibit the circula-
ton or filing with the secretary OF
state Of initiative measures while the
legislature is in session, Is contained
in a concurrent resolution introduced
in the house today by Mrs. Minnie
D. Craig, Nonpartisan, Benson county.
Many Bills Offered
The greater part Of the house ses-
sion was occupied with the first and
second reading of 40 bills and six
resolutions. This deluge was due to
the fact Tuesday was the last day Tor
introducing bills, except through per-
mission of the delayed bills commit
tee.
Outstanding among the measures
introduced were those relating to au-
tomobile registration and operation.
r. A. Holte Of Dickey introduced q
comprehensive measure dealing with
the operation Of automobiles on the
highways. Under its provision any
person convicted of having operated
q motor vehicle while under the In
fluence of drugs or liquor, OF having
been found guilty Of homicide, as
sault, or injury to persons while
operating a motor vehicle, driving
without license or other violations
leading to suspension Of license, shall
be required to show proof Of respon-
siblity to the amount OF $lO,OOO oe-
fore being permitted to drive an au-
tomobile.
A bin introduced by M. H. Lynch
of Richland is designed to facilltate
recovery Of stolen automobiles, while
a measure offered by Representative
l.. E. Correll Of Cass requires all mo-
tor vehicle operators to be licensed.
License fees of automobiles would
be determined by their class n
weight, instead of the present system
Of price, age and power. IN q meas.
ure proposed by J. A. Jardine OF
Cass.
Would Change Hail Insurance
A hail insurance measure mtro-
duced by Edwin Traynor Of Ramsey
county, provides for voluntary han
insurance, instead Of the present.
compulsory system, separation OF nan
taxes from the general taxes at tax
sales and a prompter payment OF
hail insurance claims. Another Dill
introduced by Traynor would require
county auditors to announce. before
n public sale of land for Delinquent
taxes. the total amount OF taxes, IN
Guiding penalties and interest,"
against such land to be sold.
w. j. Flanagan OF Stutsman
county presented q bill dealing with
usury. Under its provision interest
shall be paid on only the UNPAID
principle, in the case OF installtnent
sales and shall not be COMPOUNDED.
F1annigan introduced another, bill de-
signed to encourage the loaning OF
non from the state school fund 10
finance bonds of school corporations
counties, townships o. municipalities
within the state, as well a. IN otner
bonds now deemed proper invest
ments for the state.
Under q bill introduced by J.. =:
Burns OF Ward It would We nlegal
for the state to employ convict LABOR
in any work, other than that dealing
with the institution in which the IN
mates dwell.
The time limit for levying the one
mill tax for capitol building purposes
was extended from 1885 to include
O 4 an increase Of four years, IN 9
Hill introduced by Fred e Mau OF
Ransom county.