Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-02-21
PIERRE LETTER.
what n Going ON In the Capital City
and Halls Of Legislation.
Especial Correspondence.

and Halls Of Liquidation.
Especial Correspondence
PIERRE, Feb. lS.-A capital removal
deal has been sprung by the introduce
ton of a bill to that effect by Mr.. Aplin.
Friends of Pierre are hustling with a
great hustle. They not only fear pub
lie sentiment, but they also fear the
ability and great popularity of Mr..
Aplin, who grows in grace and inilu-
ence daily. Odds are largely against
the bill, but the Pierce men feel that
they cannot afford to take any desper-
ate chanches. Ifany man in the senate
is capable Of pushing such aproposition
to a successful conclusion that man is
Aplin, and Pierre is we'll aware of the
fact.
There is every reason to believe that
the proposed amendment to the con-
stitution granting women suffrage
will be submitted TO the people in 1896.
The appropriation committees were
beseigned On Thursday by representa-
tives of the various state institutions,
all anxious to show how absolutely
necessary to the public welfare was a
continuation of their existance. Indi-
cations are that all of them will be pro.
vided for on a sufficiently generous
scale.
The Sioux Falls jobbers are ''playing
hOrse"it is charged, and keep delaying
on one pretext or another the hearing
which the railroad companies are anx-
ious to secure on house bin No. / and
senate bill No. 1.-THE Sioux Falls
railroad bills. This delay, if the Sioux
Falls men are really responsible for it,
casts a reflection upon their sincerity
in advocating the measure.
Machine mel are quite worked up
over a bill introduced on Thursday. 1t
provides that printed lists of machines
and extras shall be posted up wherever
the same are sold and that the price Of
extras shall not exceed by more than
II per cent, the rate charged for ma
chimes. That is, a man should be able
to buy an entire machine piecemeal and
then not pay more than Il per cent in
excess of the price OF a machine rs or
dinarily sold. Sleeping a companies
and gas men in cities exceeding 5000
population will catch 1t next
Some little feeling has been aroused
over the census matter. It will be re-
membered that the first idea was to
place the work in the hands of the aud
itor, then with the governors private
secretary, then with the commissioner
of labor statistics, and for several days
there has been a growing sentiment
that the whole matter would be aban-
doned. Accordingly the attorney gen.
eral was requested to submit al opinion
upon the necessity of taking the census.
On Monday he responded with an opin-
ion that by the terms of the constiu-
tion the legislature must make proper
provision for the performance Of this
work.
The bill to regulate tax levies which
passed the house on Tuesday is a com
memorable measure. It does little
more than compile existing laws, but it
does this thoroughly and completely.
At the present time laws governing
the levying Of taxes are scattered all
through the books: this bill would alb
soluteiy repeal all of these and arrange
matters sc that the entire subject would
be ground in one chapter. Among the
few departures it makes is one requiring
that in cities the estimates of expendi-
lures shall be spread upon the min
utes for reference, thus making public
the cause for which all taxes are laid.
1t also provides that the people of the
several townships shall at the annual
town meetings vote the estimated
amount OF taxes they desire to be lev
led for all township purposes: the board
may decrease but must not increase the
amount. The levying Of two mill gen
eral school tax is made optional with
the commissioners, where it is nov
mandatory. Other provisions are thai
the school poll is fixed at one dollar
and the road poll at one day. The pass
age of the bill would simplify matter
very considerably.