Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1889-01-31
n1sMARck coRREsroSnEscE.

Bismarck, j an. 2B, 1889.
Editor Herald As / have secured a
combination with the postofice here to
prevent you getting any news from tile
newspapers, l thought it right that you
should not be left entirely in the dark
ness. so l write these lines. Judging by
the number of bills introduced you will
readily perceive that we have got down
to business. II three-fonrths of them
were referred to the "waste basket" it
would be a great relief. We have some
half dozen bills on every conceivable
subject of legislation; as most Of the
members are new they are anxious to
make a"record." I haye spent some
time while here, looking up the rail-
road tax due Turner county from the
Milwaukee road on their gross earnings.
The Milwaukee Co. have never paid
over per cent of their gross earnings
when the law requires them to pay 3
per cent. The Northwestern has paid
its 3 per cent according to law. Our
late county treasurer. Mr.. Smith, was
the first to call the attention of the ter
ritorial treasurer to this deficiency.
Instead of the treasurer enforcing the
law against the company, he COM
menced a Farley with them that run
on until the courts decided the law
unconstitutional and then the railroads
refused to pay anything. A law is
being prepared that will tax railroads
fairly as other property is taxed. The
+" Gross Earnings "law was repealed in
both houses by unanimous vote. The
women's suffrage question was brought
up by Captain Van Etten, the great
champion of temperance and women's
rights. He was loaded like a dynamite
bomb and Went off with a terrible ex-
plosion; but nobody was hurt. It was
voted down by about ten majority.
He will probably have more success
with his prohibition bill.
Bismarck is a great place FOR fashion
and style. especially among the ladies.
Some of the members have their wives
with them, and these ladies find them
selves so far behind the capital style
that they refuse to 60 out with their
husbands until they are furneshed with
more stylish toggery. This has ere
duced the surplus" in their exchequer
to such degree that to make up the
deficiency they have resorted to the old
time expedient of voting themselves
postage stamps. These "honest farm
ers" are about as clever on the ways
and means" as an old time politician.
Having left my "better half" at home l
was relieved of all temptation and
mustered courage to say "No." The
real fight in the legislature commenced
yesterday. The governor has had
"blood in his eye" ever since we fired
the re0olution at him asking him how
many clerks E.e has employed in his
Office, how ms.oh he pays them, and
where the money comes from. He de-
clined to answer but retaliated by veto
ing the Yankton asylum investigating
bill. unless he had the appointment of
the committee. He considers his at
torney general and public examiner
much more competent to make that in
vestigation than any committee that
could be appointed by the legislature,
and have not the slightest doubt, but
"Nellie" Gale agrees with him. AS
soon as the veto message was received
it was taken up and passed over his
veto by Al to g. The committee are
good men. entirely disinterested, and
will make a fair and impartial inyes.
tigation of the matter.
| The prospects from this point of view
for statehood are good. We received
telegram from Judge Moody yester
day from Washington asking the pass
age of memorial endorsing tn.
Springer bill with amendments pro
viding for immediate admission o,
South Dakota under the Sioux Fall,
constitution. Let up by all means ge
into the union even if we have to TAXI
with us the "Greasers" OF New Mexico
Respectfully,
"a"