Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1893-03-02
THE BIG FAIR.
Some Inside Facts Pertaining to
the Fight Ovcrthe Worlds
Fair Bill.
Speaker Lawson's Signal Tri-
unpll in the Prcmiscs---Oth-
er Legislative Matters.

PIERRE. Feb. 25.-The long drawn
out Worlds Fair fight is at last ended,
and although it has created a great
deal of feeling and has nearly cost
Speaker Lawson his seat as presiding
officer of the house his friends have
won ON every point and have SUE
cccdcd in surrounding the large APP
preparation with such sanitary
restrictions as will insure to the state
the greatest possible benefits from
the money expended. The fight in
the house was drawn distincJively be-
tween Speaker Lawsonand his friends
on the one side. favoring rigid
restrictions in the expenditure Of the
appropriation, and the opposition to
to the speaker which insisted in lcav-
ing its expenditure open to the hon
csty and good Judgment of the com
mission. AS the bill came to the
house from the senate it provided for
an appropriation of 500. 900. SlO,OGO OF
which was for the benefit of tie
woman'S board, and the board to con-
sist Of nine ladies and nine gentlemen
to be appointed by the governor and
confirmed by the senate. were in
structcd TO buy the plant Of the
present Worlds Fair commission al
its cost to the old commission. under
stood TO be about $4,000. Each mem
Der OF the commission was entitled
to draw $500 per day and five cents
per mile for each mile necessarily
Travelled. The commission was en-
powered to elect an executive board
OF i've members. a majority of which
could do business. This in its brold-
est Interpretation, meant that Tor a
period of eight months eighteen per
sons could draw from the appropria-
ton $500 per day and mileage, or in
the ncighborhood of $4,000 for this
purpose alone: that they should blv
the present plant regardless Of its
value, and that three members Of the
board-a majority of the executive
committee OF tivc-could absolutely
dictate the expenditure of the an
preparation. These things the
speaker and his friends were de.
tcrmincd should be corrected. and
out of this determination have grown
the troubles which have agitatcd the
house and threatened the unseatiny
OF the speaker. Only the fact two
thirds OF all the votes are necessary
to pass an extraordinary approDria-
tion Of this character prevented the
passage of the bill in its wide omen
form. About onc-third of the house,
supported the speaker in his conten-
ton, and subsequently the house re-
fused to concur in the senate amend
ments to the bill. Ii was then sent
to the conference committee, which,
on the part Of the house was backed
in opposition to the speaker. Layinu.
.,een named by resolution Specifying
who should act upon it. The con-
ference committee report knuckcd
out the executive committee. and re-
duced the appropriation to 10000.
The next day the speakers friends,
headed by Mr.. Hooper, succeeded in
getting the bill re-cnmmttcd to the.
conference committee with instrur-
tions to incorporate provision pro-
vding a special commission OF five
to appraisc the value OF the Chicago.
plant before should be purchased
When the bill again came up for con-
sideration on Tuesday, hard fight
lasting more than two hours was
made, and resulted in its again being
re-committed to the conference COM
lnittce. through the efforts of Speak
er Lawson and his friends, Will, in
structions to limit the expenditure OF
the commission for per diem and
mileage to the sum of $500, and
with these restrictions the bill was
reported and passed by the unani-.
nous republican vote. The speakers
good gcneralship in the management
OF this matter, with a strong majority
opposed to him, has won for him the.
admiration of friends and enemies,
alike.
The senate did not consider II. Is.
1913. Donahue's railway commissioner
bill, on Tuesday as was expected,
and the bill is undoubtedly dead for
this season.
The senate has passed bill making
railway commissioners elective in
1894.
The appropriations committee OF
neither house has reported, nor win
they be able to do SO before Saturday
or Monday.
The six months residence limit di-
yorce bill has become law.
The Queen OF the Sandwich Islands
has something of name herself, but
it is short and sweet in comparison