The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-02-05
CAPITAL CHATTER.
Election Of United States SEN
ator not as Expensive
as Some Say.
Taxes to Draw Interest Of
One pr. Cent pr. Month
after Feb. First.
At the State Capital.

VA0 p1. OSuI pI. HAOuGu
after Feb. First.
At the State Capital.
From our Regular Correspondent.
PIERRE, s., D., Jan. 2.--[ Editor UNIoN]
The past week has been devoted more
to routine work by the legislature than
any previous week during the entire ses-
3 sion this far. The members havesettled
themselves down to business and are be-
\ ginning to demonstrate the fact that
they can work IN the interest OF their
constituents and numerous bills OF more
or less merit have been acted upon. For
a .shayseed" legislature, too, they are
e xlHbiting good sense in passing upon
the bills that are brought up. Every
thing that can attain in any way to the
interests OF the people, especially the la
boring and producing classes, is receiving
prompt and close attention. Although
the eastern press has accused them OF
wasting the finances OF the state in
fooling away their time, valued at ST.
600 per day, upon the senatorial ques-
tion," and laying all the blame therefor
upon the sindecrats" as they choose to
call them, yet the real facts are that if
any time has been fooled away the re-
publicans are as much to blame as any
other party. During the past three
weeks the contest cases from Brown,
Lawrence, Dawson and Douglas counties
have occupied the greater share Of the
time in executive sessions and any one,
no matter how partisan he may be, who
knows the facts in the case, will notdeny
the fact that the republicans have oc-
cupied fully three-fo,,rths OF this time
with their fillibustering tactics and long
winded speeches, they having for the ad-
vantage in oratorical ability Messrs.
Buchanan, Harrison, Gardner and others
on the republican side OF the house are
lawyers OF prominent standing in our
state and their full supply OF eloquence
and oratorical ability at their command
has been brought into use in this the
final struggle for supremacy in the legls-
lature. A large majority Of the inde-
pendents have come fresh from their
fields and farms and could not be ex-
pected to take the floor against men
who have made the study OF law q life
long profession, but there are exceptions
to this rule and the aforesaid gentlemen
have found some hard obstacles to sur
mount on the "feld Of honor" Jones
OF Miner; Brown, OF Brown; Barlow, OF
Aurora; ohnson, of Dawson; Stephens,
OF Marshall, and others from the inde-
pendent side OF the house, have given
them some OF the hardest battles OF the
session and have opened the eyes OF the
republicans to the fact that knowledge
OF the use Of the plow and hoe is not all
that may be expected OF the average
farmer OF our new state.
The senatorial question has not been
as much OF straw in the way as our
eastern republican brethren OF the press
would fain have us believe. With one
exception, two ballots have been taken
every day in Joint session and but very
little time has been occupied with the
matter. OF course no senator has as
yet been chosen, but this question does
not effect legislation to any great Gle
gree, as but an hour and hall each day
Is spent in bal]oting. In the senate
where no obstacle has been in the way
and where the republicans had the con
plete organization, only one hundred
forty-nine bills had been introduced al
against one hundred forty-four in the
house and the house has passed OF
acted upon nearly three times as many
bills as the senate-a showing rather II
favor OF the "hayseeds." The house has
also ready for consideration for today
session, about twenty bills, which vii
all doubtless receive attention. Whil
we mention the fact of the house bein!
more speedy in its action upon bill
than is the senate, yet we do not wisl
10 De understood as charging them wit!
too great haste, for every bill is thol
oughly discussed and we venture the pre-
diction that no unwise legislation will b
enacted this winter. Nor yet do W
wish to charge the senate with bein
slack in it's proceedings, but merely dra,
the comparison to disprove the state
ments OF certain would-be leading repnt
lican journals OF the state.
Both houses have shown a dispos
tion toward all possible economy /
affairs OF the state, as the bills abolish
ing numerous worthless state officer
which have been introduced will shoy
The tax penalty bill, which most directl
affects the citizens OF our state, provide
that one per cent per month, or twelN
per cent per annuln, attaches after Fe
ruary and will be a saving to ever
tax-paying resident in the state. Th
has now become a law and is in immec
ate force and effect. Many other bill
now introduced, will, if they becon
laws, serve to heighten the distinction
this, the second session OF the Sou
Dakota legislature and cause it to
longremembered in the history OF @
state. II.
The car OF the United States fish cor
missioner came in last Friday. Sor
trout were distributed from this static
and the car passed on up the road.
---------l o-A--------
Pine Ridge Aftermath.
j. w. Umphrey, Of Gen. Carr's pa
train, in an interview with a Times
porter Wednesday, said that a detat
ment OF the Ninth cavalry, while Il
ao;np for wood Al day or two ago, l