The nonpartisan leader. [volume], February 01, 1917, Image 9

About The nonpartisan leader. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1915-1921

Image provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota

                
N
BISMARCK, Jan. 27.—The house ot
the fifteenth assembly this afternoon
passed house" bill €5, introduced by
Representative Hagan, providing: that
the governor, state superintendent of
instruction and three qualified electors
appointed by the governor for terms
of six years shall comprise the state
board of regents. It was passed by 74
for, 15 against and 24 not vottng or
absent. The bill will now go to the
senate.
The senate of the fifteenth assembly
today refused to confirm the appoint
ments made by Governor Frazier for
the board of regeflts and the appoint
ments were returned.
Several weeks ago the governor de
clared on an opinion of the Attorney
general that the members of the pres
ent board ot regents were illegally ap
pointed and he declared their office
vacant. He sent the names of five
men to tiie senate to be appointed to
fill the offices of regent. The senate
returned the appointments with the
request that he name just two men ,to
fill the vacancies, the senate not pay
ing any attention to the opinion of the
attorney general that the entire board
was holding office illegally.
Governor Frazier then sent the five
names to the senate again, and it was
these appointments that the senate re
fused to act on. The names were sent
to the senate last Monday, but were
not acted on until this afternoon.
OUSTER PROCEEDING
MAY BE STARTED
The senate returned the appoint
ments today with the statement that
it could not pass on them until the
matter of the legality of the* present
board of regents had been passed on
by the supreme court.
Next week will probably see oustef
proceedings begun against the de facto
board, and action taken before the su
preme court.
The de facto members at the board
defy the governor and refuse to con
cede that their offices are vacant. The
board will fight, and has retained as
«6ounsel a Fisk, former chief jus-
h&frTs '"T-
rjjrin:". ••x-.
wwwv.
tice of the supreme court Aubrey
Laurence of Fargo and Henry J. Linde,
former attorney general. The board
will not start the battle, but will wait
until action is begun against it.
Lewis Crawford, president of the de
facto board, late yesterday sent a
challenging letter to Governor Frazier
denying that he has the authority to
terminate their term of office and oust
them. The letter demands that the
controversy be taken to the supreme
court
A copy of the letter to the governor
was sent to the head of. each of the
state educational institutions with a
circular letter in which it was stated
that the governor's mandate could not
remove them from office. ,.
GOVERNOR NOTIFIES'
ALL STATE SCHOOL8 i? .:
Governor Frazier served notice
on -the various institutions directed
I by the board of regents that no act
since January 17 of the board
Editor Nonpartisan Leader:
The McBrlde bill for a new constitu
tion is another of the old guard's time
killers. Mr. McBrlde wants us to do
some more voting ehT But it seems
to us we have voted enough now and
given them to understand plainly what
we want. Any member of this legis
lature with his brains where they ought
to be (instead of in theif pants' seat)
ought to know and should direct his
actions accordingly. ,,
We want the League program put
through and we want it put through
now. We are through voting. It Is up
to the men in the legislature to take
speedy action. The shorter course they
take the better. If we sta to do any
mora voting on these questions then we
tftraU take a recall vote on some ot
Trying to Stop the Farmer From Grinding His Political Crop
rn* *Jas f®1"® P0,itical grain to grind: He has grown it and harvested it at great expense and labor. The mill is ready to grind it. But who is this
at the gate trying to block the way, and what is it he would bar the farmer with? You have one guess.
Frazier Having a Hard Time Ridding Regent Barnacles From State Educa
tional Institutions—May Oust Them by Court Process
Proprietor of Hill Grove Farm Writes Something
About the Present Situation at Bismarck
Hill Grove Farm, Edmore, N. Dl
headed by F. 1_ Crawford will be
held valid.
Governor Frazier notifies the in
stitutions that he has appointed a
new board, which has not yet been
organized.
He tells the institutions he took
the step on advicre of the attorney
general.
That the matter will get into the
courts and shortly now seems certain,
unless both houses pass house bill 65,
introduced by A. M. Hagan of Bot
tineau county, a Nonpartisan League
member, which would abolish the pres
ent board of regents and with it all
entangling problems and establish a
new board, constituted along different
lines. This bill was referred to in the
Leader a week ago, and briefly pro
vides that only three' members of the
board of regents shall be appointed,
while the governor and state superin
tendent at public instruction shall
•ate up the other two members, the
rs
the hold-overs in the senate. We
would then most likely relieve them of
any responsibility so they could retire
to private life and have lots of time to
•tody Ex-Governor Hanna's last tries
sage, especially that part recommend
ing against terminal elevators.
The trouble with the old guard Is
that they want to be bosses over the
rest of us. In -their, infinite wisdom they
believe they are the only ones that
know how to govern North Dakota.
Let It be plainly understood that we
are tired of just voting. We want ac
tion now and we want it quick. There
Is a limit to everything and there
should be a limit to thwarting the will
of the sovereign people, although a
big majority of than are only farmers.
The time might come when the
farmers^ patience win ran out
KESDEB HXELMSTAD.
governor being ex,officio president of
the board. •.
The situation with regard to two
members of the board of control, which
has under its supervision all the penal
institutions of the state and with the
board of regents divides authority for
all North Dakota's public institutions
(the latter having supervision of the
schools and colleges) is not changed.
On this board it is also claimed that
the terms of two members will shortly
expire, leaving a majority to be ap
pointed by Governor Frazier. But
nothing is being done in this mat
ter until the other case is settled, as
the administration holds the board of
regents positions are vacant now and
need to be Ailed immediately, while the
board of control positions will not be
come vacant for some months.
THWARTING THE PEOPLE
(Editorial In the Bismarck (N. D.)
Palladium.)
.The opposition to the principles
laid down In the platform of the Non
partisan League Is merely another
instance wherein history repeats it
self, In that all measures of progress
have ever met with opposition. It
oftei^ takes time to work out a -plan
which is really for the good of those
who most bitterly oppose it It is
the belief of the majority of the sound
thinking people of this state that the
new arrangement proposed for the
Constitution by the League will work
to the good of the masses, and that
this should be adopted.
The men who are working for this
improvement in the conditions which
Interest every one, of us are real pa
triots, and it Is a safe prediction that
time will prove the wisdom of their
contentions and efforts. They may not
succeed in all they desire at this ses
sion, but the opposition will only
serve to furnish a greater energy
which will assert itself two years
hence, when the issues which now
v-
•£V
art
being fought for so loyally will be
carried about as nearly unanimously
as would be possible.
The will of the people can not be
thwarted continuously without an up
heaval which will* settle the question
in no uncertain terms.