Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-01-31
THE PIERRE ROUNDUP.
aEsT;sy SUMMARY OF THINGS AT
1tIAT CAPITAL.

A Glance at The Busting, Growing City
1t Is Still "a Frantier Tnwn--T'he Legisl;.-
tive Makc-yp- Economy tho Nvatc!,wori
La Grippe Is tho Popular Fad.
The busting little city of Pierre has
taken On new airs, since the people Of
South Dakota selected her as the capital Of
the state. notwithstanding the metro
politan style Of improvements that ore now
in the process of construction, the electric
nights, gas works, water system, street
railways and motor lines, and large hotels,
she still wears the swaddlng clothes of
civilization, every where the habits and
scenes OF frontier life are daily seen. On
the streets the soldier from the fort, the
dusky Sioux from the reservation, the
statesmen from the capitol, and the ire
presslble real estate boomer mix and min
gle, and i'll this democratic gathering one
man counts just as much as the other.
There is no distinction. There does not
seem to be much fe. or respect for the law
at this place, for contrary to the letter OF
the constitution, under the very shadow of
the state capitol, along the streets where
the prohibition governor walks every day
score OF saloons flourish and run wide
open, and no one here seems to think 1t
strange. Pierre without saloons would be
a strange frontier city.
The Legislature in session here now is a
represe utative body Of men. They are all
filled with theories of how reforms should
be brought about. In the lower house
there are only seven lawyers, two news
paper men and over 100 practical farmers,
and II the interests of the agriculturists
are not we'll protected this winter in this
state, it will be because the farmers them
selves are Indifferent on the question of
self protection. The granger members Of
this legislature impress your correspond
ent as being men who are earnest in the
| work they have undertaken, and are will
ing and anxious to render the state valua-
bio service il they only knew how, and if
this class OF solons commit any grave en-
rors it can all be attributed to inexperience.
The state needs just this kind of men to
guide her, IN this critical period.
In the house there are few men who
have displayed more than ordinary ability,
and among than we notice Gordon, of
Brown, Parker, Of Lawrence, and Bixler,
of Sphinx. These three gentlemen are
taking the work we'll in hand. They are
leading Ill the debates and seem anxious to
render to their less gifted colleagues all the
assistance in their power. We notice that
nearly every member is ready to make the
modest request that the business pending
be fully explained to him before he votes
on any question, and it is safe to say that
whore men are SO careful, no trap will
catch them. The work OF the Legislature
up to this date has been largely taken NJ
IN perfectln9 the organization of the
houses, fixing the compensation of the
officers and adopting rules. 1t is expected
that the we'll prepared speeches that have
been practiced upon for months will soo1
be launched upon the world. Look ou
for northwestern oratory about the middle
OF next week.
From a weeks observation We nav
come to the conclusion that this body o
law makers is too large. The work ofte1
drags; bills, resolutions and motions ar
duplicated. Last Friday an effort wa
made to push to it's final passage u bill t
extend the time for the payment Of taxes
and i'll the long discussion that followe
the fact developed itself that nearly ever
member on the floor had bill of simila
nature and was fearful that the credit fo
this wise movement would fall on som
other fellow. This jealousy almost en-
dangered the measure itself. The tim
for the payment Of taxes will be EXTENDED
until next September. n bill has been in
troduced to reduce the membership in til
lower house to seventy. five and the senat
to twenty-five members. The bill SHOULD
by all means become o law, tor in work o
this kind 100 men can better do the wot1
that 174 are now trying to do.
Economy is the watchword of every maj
who is represented i'll this legislature, ant
soft snaps in the way Of clerksbips are no
visible. The usual number of ofiiceseek
ers that hang around when bodies Of Till
kind are organizing have all left for home
They saw the handwriting on the wall, an.
the So positions are not wanted, especiall
where board at the hotels costs from
$50 to So per day. The condition of tn
state finances has intensified the desire o
every one to reduce expenses, whereve
and whenever it can be done, and tn
friends OF public institutions now her
seem to think that some of the stat
schools will be closed.
The temperance bill formulated by tn
Enforcement league has been read in botl
houses and referred to the committee
specially created to take care of it. Will
IA few minor notifications the bill as in
troduced will become q law. The onl,
visible opposition in temperance leglsla
ton comes from the Black Hills and few
river counties.
La grippe has found it's way to this f.
away city. 1t is quaint study to see it!
effect on the stolid Indian, the dignifee
senator, the meek page and the dasEint
cowboy. The symptoms are the same, thu
sneezing alike. La grippe is social lev
eler and great is its power.
|
A Western Murder Discovered.
! August lost, Edna Wilson, pretty CIR