Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-09-16
PRIMITIVE DAKOTA.
One OF Stutsman's Bills Contributed
by an Old Letter.

One OF Stutsman's Bills Contributed
by an Old Letter.
Sioux City Journal.
''They Ised to have lots of fun in the
Dakota legislature" remarked the old
settler to a reporter. The burlesque
bills we're not confined to members of
the third house, but were introduced in
the council and lower house as we'll. l
find this one among my old papers. 1t
was introduced in December, 1864, and
as you will see by the heading it was
Stutsman that brought it into the conn-
Gil 1t passed one branch of the legis-
la.ure and would have become law, but
some of the cooler heads said that that
would not do and the bill was dropped.
It is entitled ga bill for an act to encour-
age the cultivation Of dogs, and the i'm
provement OF the breed thereof, and to
prescribe the punishment for the drown
ing OF puppies" The first few sections
provide how many dogs must be owned
by citizen before be is eligible to Office
or can vote. Then we come to
Sec. 3. Any male resident of this ter
ritory over the age OF eighteen years who
is of African descent, and owns one pup
of either sex, with or without eyes open,
may vote at any election in this terri
tory, and shall be eligible to any Office
in the gift OF the people.
Further on the bill provides for the
levy of three mill tax to provide funds
for holding dog fair during the dog
days, "the person owning the largest
number of tat dogs and brood bitches
shall be president thereof" Then the
bill provides for the premiums to be
offered, among them, For the best cur,
mongrel breed; for the best pointer or
setter-pointing at a bote or sitting on
his tail not considered; for the most
spiteful poodle This brings us to.
Sec 9. The term poodle as used in
the last section shall be construed to
mean very insignificant quadruped by
courtesy admitted into the great dog
family, with diminutive BODY, enyelop-
ed in a bunch of filthy wool, and eyes
universally sore.
The next section provides that s'any
person convicted of drowning or other
wise destroying puppy or puppies"
shall pay fine into the fund to be called
tine common dog fund.-" this fund to be
''for the support OF superanuated dogs
and INDECENT puppies" There are some
parts of the bill that we will not read,
but here is some along toward the last /:
Sec. IA. Any person who shall be
bitten without sufficient provocation by
dog, shall have redress by kicking the
owner of the dog. but in no case shall be
allowed to kick the dog.
Sec. 10. In case that dog or pup
Inadvertently destroys hens nest or a
sheep, the party sustaining the loss may
have his remedy by pelting the owner OF
such offending dog or pup with shirt.
tlap.full of wet corn cobs at forty PAGES
off-hand, and for the space of five MN
utes, or until the allowance of cobs be
exhausted.
Sec. Is. All acts and parts OF acts
conflicting with the provisions of this
act are hereby repealed.
Sec. 10. This act shall take effect
from and after the completion of the
Big Sioux bridge.
This bill was no third house business,
but, as yon will see by the style of the
printing, regularly introduced in the
council by Mr.. Stutsman, and, as l
stated, only failed to become law by
the interference of some of the cautious
members after it had got nearly
through. A few old Dakotaians have
copies of this bill The copy here ]
found in going over some old papers.