Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-01
THE STATE CAPITAL.
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS
DOING AT PIERRE.
An Impartial Record of the Work Ac-
complished by Those Who Make Our
Laws-How tho Time Has Been Occu-
pied During the Past Week.
Our Lawmakers,

Nt0 u Has ky6Gu OCCus
pied During the Past Week.
Our Lawmakers.
Members were not backward on the 18th
in coming forward to vote the usual Joint
resolution for an appropriation to nav the
per diem and mileage of members. Sena-
tor Storlie introduced a bill exempting
$1,000 worth Of property from taxation to
individuals who put down artesian wells
with a flow of 300 gallons per minute. Re-
submission will come up in the Senate
about the I'D inst.
The Senate Temperance Committee has
agreed not to report the rcsubmission reso-
luton until the I'D, SO as to give every OPP
p%ortunity to the opposition to be heard. It
is further understood that a majority of
the committee will make a favorable re-
port on its adoption. The vote in the Sem
ate, however, is bound to be close, with
the chances still in favor of resubmission,
hut only by a margin of one or two votes.
Senator Lawrence made a few knowing
clerks smile on the 18th by talking in favor
of economy by cutting down the per diem
of the clerks. They turned to the Journal
of the Senate and discovered that while
Senator Lawrence resided in the county
adjoining Hughes and not over thirty or
forty miles from Pierre, and had moved
his family overlandto Pierre several weeks
prior to the session, yet his mileage calls
for 500 miles. To its credit, be it said, the
Senate by a vote of % to Is did not mistake
penny wise parsimOny for economy. Few
new measures have been enacted into laws,
but proposed legislation is rapidly multi
plying. Many desired to adjourn until the
2lst, but a compromise was reached in an
understanding to adjourn next week from
Friday to Tuesday.
The investigation committee continues
to meet with closed doors and is very lothe
to give up the proceedings. This action
has OccasiOned some adverse criticism, but
perhaps it is wise. Chairman Pease says
that in a few days the session will be
open. Eventually, of course, the whole
proceedings must come to light. Elk
Speaker Lawson came ON the 21st and was
invited to the Speakers platform. Rep
resentative DickOver presented a resOlu-
ton that the Appropriation Committee re-
port not later than February 2 and that
final adjournment be not later than Fcbru
airy s, but was quickly voted down.
When petitions were reached in the Or
der of business there Was presented to the
Senate on the 22d a petition from thirty
one counties, and signed by 5000 names,
asking that the prohibition clause of the
constitution ''dO not be rcsubmitted." The
favorable report of the Committee on Re-
submission then came up. 1t was adopted
by a vote of 2I to II. The report of the
majority of the committee was signed by
all the members except Senator McGee of
Pennington County. Senators were un-
able to resist the opportunity to address
the public and the discussion lasted for
over two and a halfhours. The only ques-
tiOn of interest in the Senatorial election
was how the POpulists would dispose of
theirsvote. Two weeks ago Senator Petit
grew had every vote in the Republican
ucu on the first ballot and now when
the two houses ballOted for Senator he re-
ceived every Republican vote. Of the
twenty-fOur POpulists twenty-three voted
for State Senator Crawford of Kingsbury
County, and Crawford threw his vote to
ex-senator Grill. There was no excite
ment connected with the voting on Sem
ator and little speech-making The House
eulOgized the respective candidates in
short speeches. The vote in the House
stood: Pettigrew, G.; Crawford, II. In
the Senate: Pettigrew, 50; Crawford, 8;
Grill, /. On the 23d the two houses will
meet in joint convention and ratify the
proceedings.
IN spite OF the strenuous efforts of the
-'rohibitionists against the measure the re-
submission bill went through the Senate
on the 23d on its final passage by a vote of
"a to 10. Before the final vote was taken
the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES made an effort to
secure pOstponement until January 81, and
were only defeated in the attempt by one
vote. A motion to reconsider was laid on
the table. AT noon the Legislature in
joint session ratified the election of Sena-
ator Pettigrew. Among the bills intro
duced was one fixing the tolls at grist
mills at not over a fifth and a bill locating
a blind asylum at Gray.
More was accomplished in the House on
the 23d than on any previous day of the
session.:
A partial report of Examiner Myers
was submitted to both houses, but it will
appear in the journal of neither body. 1t
was so incomplete as to meet with a cool
reception and was as impolitic a move as
could possibly have been made if Mr..
Myers had any hope of reappointment. In
the Senate it met with silent indifference,
but in the House it was openly ridiculed,
much to the chagrin of the friends of Mr..
Myers.
INVESTIGATION OF TAYLOR.
Governor Mellette Knew of q Shortage
Two Months Ago.