Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-02-23
LEGISLATIVE NEWS.
What or Representatives are Doing nj
Pierre, as Reported by a Chron-
jcle CorrezUondeuE

jcle Correspondent.
PIERRE, s. D., Feb. 2l.-Oply three
weeks of the session remain and the
legislature is buttoning down to business
in good shape. The house during the
past week has been holding two sessions
a day, and six o'clock daily found 1t in
session. Until recently most Of the
work was done in committees. Now
the open house is handling it. The
senate has heretofore been quicker than
the house, and its work is more ad-
vanced, but while the house has taken
longer on consideration it is only fair to
say that it has weighed the measures
more closely than the upper body.
More than half of the bills introduced
in the house have been killed, while the
senate shows disposition to pass neaaly
everything as it comes. The most i'm
portant matter during the last week was
woman's suffrage. This passed thesen-
ate by practically unanimous vof., 'odt
it ran across severe obstacles in the
house. On the first vote il was defeated
! by vote Of 40 to SO, and might have
been ended for the session but the op.
ponen.s neglected to button il up at
that time, and its friends secured re-
consideration Both sides have been
hard at work for several days trading
and combining and using every effort to
win votes, and it appears at this writing
that the measure has a good chance of
success.
The constitutional convention, about
which SO much has been said, fell by
the way side on Saturday without a
dissenting vote. Its death was not
noticed by the majority of the members
of the house being on the committee
report which under the rules was hard
ly announced, but the measure would
have been killed unquestionably on ac-
count Of the large expense involved,
and the fear of the Pierre people that
the capitol question would be involved.
Huron made her perannial effort to
move the capitol this last week, but the
Till introduced by Senator Apn was
indefinitely postponed on the first read
ing by vote of % TO 10. The great
effort of the coming week will be upon
the big railroad bill The best talent
in the state has argued the matter be-
fore the railroad committee. and the
latter has decided by practically un-
animons vote against the Wheeler bill
on the ground that South Dakota is not
ready for The Iowa law aud tha, this
bill. which is the same as the Iowa law,
would injure the railroad interests un-
fairly. 1t is likely that some other
measure of less general importance will
be introduced looking toward railroad
control, but no radical legislation VIII
be possible.
The investigating committees are
hard at work. the Taylor committee be-
hind closed doors and under pledge OF
absolute secrecy, the Ruth committee
open to the public The latter commit
tee shows disposition to be searching
and thorough, and already is develop
ing considerable evidence showing a
very great looseness in the management
of the Office. Nothing as yet has been
shown to found criminal charge.
One of the most important measures
passed, and one which is of high inter
est to all the farmers of the state, is Mr..
Wheeler's bill No. 20, which permits
county commissioners to supply seed
grain to the needy farmers. This bill
has been signed and is now in opera.
ton.
The house has passed bill creating
new judicial circuit consisting Of Cod
dington. Dewell, Clark and Sphinx coun-
ties. 1t appears that owing to poor
railroads the people in the northern
part of the present circuit find it almos,
impossible to transact their court busi-
ness except at ruinous expense, and
either new railroad or new circuit is
necessary. This bill will without doubt
become law. and the governor will
have the appointment of a new Judge,
who is likely to be Carl Sherwood of
Clark county.