Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-02-07
PIERRE LETTER.
what II Going on in the Capital city
and Halls Of Liquidation.
Especial Cores, ondance

PIERRE. Jan. 3.-A great deal of in
terest has been felt about the suit of
the state against the Taylor bonds
men. Both sides would be glad to
compromise OF n reasonable sum. but
that seems impossible. The bonds
amount to s33j0,00o. The present prop
erty of the bondsmen probably would
not reach half that sum. Mos, OF this
property is heavily encountered and If
sold at forced sale at the present time
would only bring from a hundred to a
hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The bOndsmen have offered to turn
this property over to the state pro
vided a full release shall be given. and
while u~nquestio,ahly the state officials
and the majority Of the legislature
would be glad to accept, they are met
with the constitutional provision which
prohibits them from releasing any liza
bility to the state. AT the present time
the hondsmen are searching fer some
means of avoiding this constitutional re-
quirement. If they fail. as seems
likely, they state positively that they
will fight the collection to the bitter
end for the suit against them would not
only absorb their property, but the
judgment would stand all their lives
against whatever they might acquire.
The question which interests tie
largest portion OF the people is the APP
preparations. A great deal of discus
sion has been going OF and there has
been much argument in favor of the
most rigid economy. 1t seems thai the
state will have all it needs the
coming two years. The senate com
mittee has held two meetings and has
practically determined on the outline
Of the bill. AS at present drawn the
measure makes a total cut of about
$50, 600 a year, or 20 per cent. This is
pretty evenly distributed over the en-
tire range Of expense, nothing being
spared except fixed charges. All of
the executive officers are cut on the
incidental expenses connected with
their offices, and many of their clerks
are dropped. Several of the state
Offices are abolished, as for instance
the oil Inspector, the commissioner of
labor and statistics, and it is more than
likely that the railroad commissioners
will have to go. 1t is we'll known that
the present legislature will not pass
the restrictive laws proposed and as
the railroad commissioned will have no
authority, the sentiment is that they
should nOt draw pay. The state insti-
buttons will not be closed but all will
he put on a nard times basis and that
means something different from what
they ever had. However. this is
merely the report Of the committee and
| it is likely that the members from the.
localities affected will have much to
say.
One Of the interesting bills now
pending is that which provides for the
satisfaction of George S1anton's claims
against the state. During the Indian
outbreak Of 1851 the people of Custer
and other Black Hills counties were
placed for a time at the mercy of the
savages. The Indians began their de-
predictions by running OFT the cattle
and destroying The property of the
ranches along the foothills, and the
people of the towns feared that massa-
ere might follow. Before the United
States took action NJ. Ii. Day of Rapid
City appeared to Governor Mellette,
mud thA haitian r,p,i; nnl 49,, -
raise a troop of volunteers and To pro-
tect the whites against the Indians.
The state shipped.a,ms to Rapid City
and the men furnished their WI horses.
The troops to the number of nearly 100
under the olmmai d OF Day rode out of
town and rendtZvoused at the ranch of
Stanton, who lived on the frontier and
who maintained them and their animals
during the hostilities. TO keep the
men and horses cost u large sum of
money and when the lighting was over
he put in his bill to the state. The
measure was presented to the last ses
sion. but was lost in the dying hours.
He then sued in the court Of claims at
Washington, but vas referred to the
state. The bill has been introduced
early this year, and having the sup
port OF the Black Hills members, will
undoubtedly pass. 1t carries an APP
preparation of about $4,000. There is
an energetic movement on foot to abol-
ish the railroad commission. 1t seems
likely that there will be little railroad
legislation at this session, if any, and
the members are asking Of what use
the commission can be if it has no laws
to execute. At the present time the
statutes give the commission very little
power and a very large share Of the
complaints against railroad extortion
have been disregarded becaus the
commission could not legally rectify
the wrong. II this lack is not TO be
changed u considerable number Of the
members favor doing away with the
commission entirely and saving the
states money. AT present each Of the
commissioners receive $500 n year,
and the secretary receives 81, 200, while
several hundred Is devoted to expense.
Another matter which has aroused
considerable feeling against the COM
mission lies in the fact h II ii has made
no printed report this year. The COM
mission has made Il report TO the COVER
nor, but the latter refused to PRINT it
on the score OF economy, and the mem
bers are unable to examine it. They
say that If the doings OF the commission
are not Of enough inter st l." read by
the legislature they are lot worth the
III, 200 expended. Nolesislature in re-
cent times has seen a more efficient or
more able judiciary committee than