Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-03-19
coscHEN,SG THE Inc1sLAruRE.
senator Kellnr Informs His Constituents
of the Work of the Session.

senator Kellnr Informs His Constituents
of the Work of the Session.
To the People of Fall River and Custer Coull-
ties:
Representing you in the state senate
deem it my duty to make IL brief
statement of what was done by the
legislature.
There we're more than $50 bills in
troduced in both branches of the leg
islature. OF these only ninety seven
were enacted into laws. the most prom
inent of which were the appropriation
of money, the railroad. the liquor Ii
cense. the election, the apportionment,
the uniformity of text books and the
antitrust and monopoly acts.
The acts of local interests to the
Black Hills are as follows: Creating a
state registry of brands to be record
ed in the office of the secretary of
state on and after Jan l, 1885, To re-
move fumes and gases in smelters.
To require iron covers for cages in
Shafts. For a sheep inspector in
counties having at least 1000 head. of
sheep. To assess live stock between
May and November. To require coun-
ty commissioners to build dams and
store surface waters on petition of Il
majority of the legal voters. To pro-
hibit the killing of deer and other big
game for four years.
The senate committee on appropria-
tions reported for the Soldiers Home
as follows: For salaries. fuel, lights
and maintenance S26.5OO for each ysar.
The senate without opposition agreed
to my motion to amend the report of
the committee so as to make the sum
S2T 300. Although the agreement was
made that in view of the increased
and increasing purchasing power of
money. S26. 900 was "a greater sum than
had ever been appropriated to the
Soldiers Home; for in 1893 the total
sum for the Soldiers Home was S25,-
I25; in 1894 it was S222,725: in 1895 it was
S26,53O; in 1896 it was s27 ,63O. Now the
house committee on appropriations re-
ported S2G.50n, but gave an increase
over all appropriations for salaries
and wages of Sl7O per year. The legis
latnre also appropriated $1,000 to pay
az, old bill of Page ~ Company for
plumbing done five years ago. When
the hard times are considered it will
readily be admitted that the legislature
dealt generously with the Soldiers
Home. The specific words and figures
OF the annual appropriations for 1897
and 1858 are as follows:
SOLDIERS HOME.
Salaries officers and employees s G,:OO
Maintenance. fuel. light. repairs
expense OF commissioners. 2O0NO
Total for each ycnr........... s26.5CO
The conference committee on appro-
priatlons kindly reported. at my re-
quest. to increase the sum for the bur
ial of soldiers and sailors from $500 to
$1,000 per annum.
The policy of the legislature in deal
ing with appropriations was to main
tain the integrity of our public institu-
tions and not to exceed the appropria-
tions of 1895 and 1896. except for good
grounds.
1t is proper for me to say IL word
about the election of an United States
senator. The only trust imposed upon
me by those whose votes elected me to
represent the 41st senatorial district
was to vote for candidate pledged
against the single gold standard. The
free silver members of the legislature
numbered -, of whom 60 were elected
as straight-out populists. a rule was
adopted by the free silver members re-
quiring ~ votes to nominate i'll caucus
a candidate for United States senator
10 me this seemed quite practical and
sound, for out of GO surely 10 should
have united on some free silver candi-
date. The free silver democrats and
free silver republicans, of whom was
one, waited for the 60 populists to
make the nomination. Their failure
to do so resulted in the election of
Kyle by the votes of 81 gold republi-
publicans, 4 democrats and 9 popu-
lists. Two republicans declined to
vote for Mr.. Kyle. What Mr.. Kyle's
conduct and votes in the senate will
bel shall not anticipates: the records
of the senate of the United States will
he the only reliable witness as to these.
Very Respectfully,
Your Servant.
ANDREW j. KELLAR.
Hot SPRINGS. March l6. 1907.