Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-01-15
GOSSIP FROM THE STATE CAPITAL.
What Our solons are Doing for theB Benefit
oftheir Constituents.

veyor general Of South. Dakota are
Senator Gunderson of Clay county and
Robert Pearsons, of Miner county. In
all probability MI. Gunderson will re-
ceive the appointment. He is a practi-
cal civil engineer and has had nearly a
dozen years of active work in the field.
e The railroad commissioners tempo
rarily organized but have not elected
officers. w. T. Lafollette doubtless
will be chosen president and headquar-
tiers will be established at Chamberlain,
if present plans do not miscarry.
The democratic members of the leg
islature held their first caucus Saturday
morning and agreed to stand by a de-
m%ocratic candidate for United States
senator. They have eight votes in the
house and two in the senate, aud hold
a balance of power on joint ballot.
They have not agreed upon Il candi-
date yet, but have plenty of material to
draw from.
Congressman Pickler's friends declare
that he has a sure thing on the repub-
lican caucus nomination for United
States senator. \ caucus was called
but owing to the absence of leading re-
publicans the meeting adjourned.
The capital removable has frightened
the people ut Pierre, and the measure
has for the present overshadowed even
the senatorial question. The situation
has assumed a serious phase for Pierre,
although her citizens profess to be SAN
guine of the defeat of the measure.
The bill provides that the question to
submitted to the electors two years
hence is whether the capital shall be
permanently located at Pierre or Huron.
An attempt was made in the senate
Saturday 10y Homer of Pierre to have
consideration of the bill postponed for
two weeks, but his motion was defeated
and the bill was referred to the COM
mittee on state affairs. 1t is about an
even thing whether this bill is defeated
or passed in the senate, and the Pierre
ties are doing some lively hustling.
One of the first bills to be introduced
in the legislature ofthe state will be one
for the purpose of creating and detin-
ing the duties and fixing the qualitica-
tions members of the boards ofregents.
1t is proposed to disqualify any person
from serving as a member of the board
who is not IL college graduate. The
portion of the bill relating to the tu-
ition fee of the state university will
receive many opponents, from the
southern counties, at least. 1t is pro
posed to admit two students from each
county free of charge and to charge a
tuition fee of - per term. OF 80 ayear
for all others. The extra charge of 81
is for the alleged purpose of compell-
ing the citizens of Clay county TO bear
their share of the expense of the uni
versity. Clay county and Vermillion
have already rebuilt University hall.
at Il cost of several thousand dollars.
which came from personal and public
sources.
Governor Lee sent a special message
to the legislature last Saturday de-
claring that he declinedto approve the
bond of Treasurer Phillips until the
cash is produced and counted. Treas
urer Phillips says he is ready to pro-
duce the cash if so ordered, amounting
to S22S2.639.222. but that the transporta-
ton of the cash from the banks in
which it is deposited would involve an
expense of $1,000 to the state and /;
small army for guards. If the message
should be favorably considered and
the cash not produced within the time
limited 10y law in which the treasurer
shall qualify with approved bonds the
Office would be declared vacant and the
governor have the power to fill the
office by appointment. AS Treasurer
| Phillips produced certified certificates
of deposits there is little danger of the
unreasonable demand of the governor
being acted upon.
Il Il. 4
The following bills were introducedin
the house:
BY Mr.. King, abolishing civil town
ships.
BY Mr.. Sheldon, providing for the
appointment ofdcputy oil inspectors in
counties.
BY Mr.. %Shunabee, amendining the
tax collecting law.
by Mr.. Michaels, fixing the legal rate
of interest at / percent, and %l0percent
on contract.
BY Mr.. Dollard. a maximum railroad