Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-06-10
DAKOTA LEGISLATION.
RecollectiOns of a Talk with the Represen-
tative from Burleigh County-Railroads,
Banks and Saloon Licenses.

Recollecti0ns of a Talk with the Represen-
tative from Burleigh County-Railroads,
Banks and Saloon Licenses.
At the Merchants, yesterday, representa-
tive of the GLOBE, chatting with Hon. Ansley
GRAY, of Bismarck, learned something OF the
work of the Dakota legislature last winter,
a part of which has had the effect of hasten
ing the building of east and west lines OF
RAILWAYS into the territory. It seems that
until last winter the laws of Dakota made
stockholders in incorporated companies
liable for the companies debts, each to the
full extent of his property, as in the case OF
the ruined stockholders of the broken bank
of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. This un-
American requirement operated to set up a
barrier at the eastern and southern borders
of the territory against the whole railway
system of the Northwest. In the early part
of the session Mr.. Gray introduced
bill repeating the corporate
personal liability clause of the Territorial
code, and providing further that, as to taxa
ton, the railway property in the Territory
should be taxed by the Territory only, ac-
cording to its gross earnings. Representa-
tiyes of the southeastern part of the Terri
tory, where railroads were likely to be first
built, objected to the provision regarding
taxation, claiming that railway property
should be taxed in and for the counties
wherein located. It was under
stood that Governor Howard would
not approve the bill if amended as
deserted by the southeastern men, and Mr..
Gray, on behalf of the upper Missouri val
ley and the Black Hills country, felt that it
would not be polite to expose railroad build
ers to the chances of local assessments and
taxation. But finally the latter was forced
to compromise on the basis of one-thlrd OF
the tax upon the gross earnings of railways
being set apart and by the territorial
treasurer divided pro rata among
the counties through which the roads
pass. So amended, the bill passed,
was approved by the Governor and proved
satisfactory to the railroad companies ready
to extend their lines into the territory
three of which have already started their
grades toward the Missouri from Minnesota
and Iowa.
"What else interested you, Mr.. Gray?"'
asked his friend, the reporter. "Oh, the
bank BILL" was the answer. Dakota had
some experience of that free system of bank
ing which leaves all on the level of that bank
of ancient name and rather ancient fame
wherein the deposits arc certain to exceed
the Withdrawals or the bank busts. The
facilities for wild cat banking were operating
to deter square business men from going
into the Territory with capital. MIR. Gray
introduced, therefore, bill establishing
conditions under which banking business
should be carried on in the Territory. L
required bankers to publish annually full
statement, verified by oath, of their resources
and liabilities. It imposed severe penal
ty for perjury committed II
swearing to these annual statements, and ye
heavier penalties for the receiving of de
posts by any banker who knew himself t.
be insolvent. 1t was, in short, an iron-clat
atfair-not hurtful to genuine banking, bu
death to banking based on cheek and nerv
only. Some of the bankers, so-called, o
the Territory, fought the bill, but it had tn
approval of tho people, and, altar prett
hard fight, was passed and went to the Gov
ernor. He vetoed it, but by this tim
nearly the whole Legislature had bee!
converted to favor Grsy's bill. TWAS passe
over the veto and, in the lower house, by
unanimous vote.
''Anything else, Mr.. Gray?' Well, yes
There was another act of general importanc
in which he had felt much interest, but i
that he was defeated. 1t was the license la
which Gray opposed, because he thought
was Unexpectedly tenoPerance-that is, rigl
enough to provoke opposition and evasio,
The bill passed and, being now the law {
the Territory, is undergoing it's test.