Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-02-28

One of the big fights OF the session
came q few days G over the bill
+! giving q bounty On wolves, wild cats
and mountain lions. THIS IL istiBct-
iy a Black Halls measure, designed TO
! protect the cattle interests in unor-
/ gained counties. It VAS Tremendous
" opposed at the time on the ground
that 1t was unconstitutional. The
measure viii come up agan In a few
days and is likely 20 pass.
The Taylor investigating COMMITTEES
has practically finished their labors
and will hold but one or two nsore
sessions. Today il had before IL the
Western Union operator at Redheld,
who brought down all kilograms
( touching the case in any way, they
having been released by the senders
] snd receivers. The committee will
/ make up its report in a few DAYS
Ii has elected a vast amount OF eyf
/ dence, but little not already known,
and the report will have very small
sensational value. The committee
ia being roundly CRITICS for having
held its meetings in secret against its
own promise and against the advice
OF the best republicans. Its report is
q fiasco. There is no criticism about
the integrity of the committee but
the leading republicans are free in
their blame for its poor Judgment
and its incapacity in digging out the
Information which the people have a
right TO have.
The governor appointed anil senate
confirmed John Baldwin, OF Saint
| Lawrence, as engineer OF irrigation,
and Jefferies OF Lead city a. mine in
spector.
In the house a petition signed by 9S
names asking for the passage of equal
! suffrage and one from Buffalo county
signed by Is names protesting against
the divorce bill, we're read.
I The judiciary committee reported
that the Wheeler bill was unconsti-
tutional and it was returned to the
railroad committee with instructions
70 report Friday.
Senator Valentine OF North Dakota
addressed the house ON the Russian
thistle question.
The following senate bile passed:
Making the state auditor the official
to keep the record OF the state board
of equalization instead Of the secre-
bdIl Va eoN
Securing a universal system OF ed
ucation.
Establishing An orphans home at
/ Sioux Fails.
{, Giving the graduates OF the phar-
macy class OF Brookings college GER
~tiicates OF pharmacy.
Covering religious organizations.
The following bills were introduced
in the house:
To reimburse Lincoln county for
tran .~ierriDg insane tc hospital.
{ Requiring railroads to keep flagmen
at street crossings.
! Relating to railroad commissioners.
Relating to assistant attorneys.
To establish county uniformity Of
text books.
Relating to exemption laws.
Relating to the employment Of
clerks for county officers aud fixing
their salaries.
THE RUTH INVESTIGATION.
The investigating committee had
before it to-day Col. Ruth, and NFr.
Burk, the qUestioner, put Mr.. Ruth
through a rigid examination, taking
his testimony given previously, and
other witnesses. as abasis. Mr.. Ruth
admitted that during his term o. of.
ice he had spent less than a quarter
OF his time in Pierre, and probably
did not average more than two or
three days q month, and was absent
once or twice for two months. At
such times he was at DeSmet. On
July 10th be was called east by the
illness OF his wife and ret urned early
in September. He made the estimate
required by law on May 10th, 1893,
but did not send out the notices as
required. In fact he had never sent
out those notices as required, stating
as his reason that there had never
been calls for loans. Mr.. Burke called
his attention to the fact that the law
required that those notices be sent
out on May 10th and November 10th
of the apportionment which would be
made July first and January first in
order that the county auditors might
duHcEAIcc tOE LOdils anu eO Oc dDEc "
take the money when apportioned.
Mr.. Ruth stated that this was thelaw
but he did not regard it as manda-
tory. He understood the Jaw to di-
rect that the interest and income
funds be apportioned on the I5th Of
June. In 1898 it was not apportion-
ed until October 3ist. The reason
WAS that from June Is to July 10,
when he left, he was busy with his
private business at DE Smet, and had
not time to make it. He had intend
ed to make the spportionment July
10th but his wife's sickness called him
away. When he returned in Septem-
Der he was suffering from v
prostration occasioned by his wife's
illness and death, and his physician
advised him to do as little work as
possible. During September be did
practically no private business. He
was at his home in De Smet and visit
ed Pierre only n or two days. The
delay in apportioning the money was
due solely to the 'easons given though
he may have written certain county