Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-04-15

Review of the Main Work Of the Ses-
sion just Ended.

sion just d
Pierre, S.. D.. Special. March 1e.-At
the fifth session o. The legislature of
South k the dill which occupied
the first place In the public mind was
the Palmer railroad bill. This was due
not go much to the actual results which
will follow its enactment a. to the ex-
pectations which a season OF anti-rail-
road agitation had aroused on the part
of the public. 1t confers upon the board
of railway commissioners power to fix
maximum freight and passenger rates,
and. with some few variations. IL q cory
of the Iowa railway law. Farmers
throughout the state AVE been led to
believe that il will make a material diff
ference In the freight rates of their grain
and cattle to market and the articles OF
consumption that arc brought in. They
are generally not aware of the fact that
the powers OF the board are confined en-
tireIy TO rates on shipments which orig
mate and terminate within the state. As
that Is not more than 8 per cent OF the
entire railroad commerce of the state
1t may be easily seen that as every car
of grain and cattle goes beyond the
borders of the state and every car OF coal
and almost every car of other mer-
chandise comes from without, the pro-
ducers of the state will be doomed to dis
appointment. The chief beneficiaries Of
this law win be the one or two towns of
NiC lat Nhtoi "a ae ~ -
jobbing BUSINESS.
Next In order of Importance probably
comes the license law. With the repeaI
of the prohibitory article Of the consti-
tuition a license law became necessary.
The framing OF this law has occupied
a comparatively large share of the time
of the legislature. The result of its iabors
is the passage of an excellent license
law. Considering the conditions of the
state, IL is a high license. The minimum
figure is 5000: the maximum, $1,000. OF
this the state Is TO receive $3.50 from
each license md 1t Is anticipated that
this will produce a revenue for the state
of at least $4,000 per annum, The law
also has stringent features regarding the
conduct of the business, prohibiting
screens, tables. chairs. card playing or
games of any kind. 1t Is generally be-
lieved, except ~ extremists. that this
will accomplish moro good for the cause
of temperance than the prohibitory law.
There t. a local oLtion feature by cities
and townships, SO that no community
need nave a saloon unless a majority
votes for II.
The passage of the joint resolution pro-
viding for the submission of the question
of woman suffrage was hardly expected.
The effect of this will be to inject a
novel and probably somewhat disturbing
element into the campaign two years
hence. Another constitutional amend
menc which will be voted upon at the
next election will be a modified form
Of the Swiss initiltive end referendum.
This provides that when 8 per cent of
the voters of tho state petition the iegis-
lature for a law on any subject. the legis-
lature shall frame such a law and sub
nit IL to tho voters at the next election.
Still another constitutional amendment to
be submitted is the question OF the state
control of the liquor traffic upon the
lines of the South Carolina dispensary
system.
One of the constitutional amendments
which carried at the last election was
the creation of a new board OF regents
and abolishing the boards of trustees of
the various Institutions which In the
past have constituted a doubie-headed
authority. In accordance with this
amendn ent the new board has been ere
atcd. with absolute control of all of the
educational institutions. Upon the wis
dom and ability of this board will de-
pend the success Of this new departure.
From a Popalist party standpoint the
creation of the new depaI tment of in
surance and the committee of investiga-
ton are all the things which nave been
lone since South Dakota has been one
Of the sisterhood OF states. These are
important measures. but the probability
is that SO little will be discovered that
is not already Known that the effect will
be damaging to the Populists, who have
INDUCED in such wholesale charges. ratll-
er than to the Republicans.
The session was something of a dis
appointment to the Populists. They
failed to elect their United States SEN
ator. They failed to enact much OF their
proposed legislation. and with their re-
cord upon which they Will have to go
b. fore tho people two years hence Is
not an enviabie one.