Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-02-23
THE LEGISLATURE
Proceedings of south Dakota's Law
Mil.


Pierre. s. D., Feb. 15.-In the house
the sentiment appeared TO be in favor
OF slaughtering instead of passing
bills; and while final action was the
order, those who had bills up Which
they desired to get through asked for
a continuance rather than have them
get to a vote. The only bill passed
was one fixing salaries of county treas
urers at not to exceed $1,000 o year,
and which in fact cuts salaries in Min
state.
The bill TO appropriate $1,000 for a
heating plant at the deaf and dumb
school was fought over and a motion
10 indefinitely postpone was barely de-
feated, showing defeat for the bill on
final action. and il was carried over
until tomorrow. Several other appro-
priation bills We're on the calendar and
the friends of the bills asked that they
go over. This was allowed, and the
special orders for to-morrow are ap-
preparations for a heating plant at the
deaf and dumb school. special building
at the insane asylum. a building at
Nermillion and a building at he agri-
cultural college. The resolution for a
constitutional Amendments to require
an educational qualification for super
intendents of schools was killed, as
were several minor bills.
Senate bills We're then taken up for
first and second reading, and Senate
Bill No. 151 was called for second
reading. yarnum moved indefinite
postponement of further action on the
bill. This was supported by Glass,
and the motion prevailed. The bill is
the railroad tax bill by Gunderson.
which passed the senate with Han
tens amendment fixing valuation Cor
assessment of railroads at not less
than two-thirds the value set upon
them by the court or the railroad
commission. Glass in his speech took
the position that the present law is
sufficient. and if railroads are under
valued ii is the fault of the state as
sessment board and not the law; hat
the bill Disseminated, and IL would be
the duty of any court TO so decide on
a suit under ii, and that 1t confiicted
with plain provisions o fthe constitu-
ton. 1t was killed without even n de-
mand for a roll call.
The senate passed bills authorizing
the state board of assessment 10 levy
taxes on ~unorganiZed counties for ju-
dicial purposes and care OF the insane;
removing conflict of laws as to the
beard OF pardons: requiring all grain
warehousemen TO give bonds and per-
hitting county mutual insurance com
panies to insure against tornadoes.
The senate passed the house bill per-
uniting cities to refund bonds without
holding an election at a rate not high,
er h . per cent and providing for
the collection of taxes on transient
herds Of cattle,
Pierre, s. d., Feb. 16.-In the house
a petition was presented from the
board of charities and corrections ask
ing for Increased appropriation for the
Yankton asylum on account of fire at
that institution. The judiciary COM
mittee reported back the senate bill
increasing the salaries of judges. with
amendment TO raise the salary of the
governor and supreme court judges TO
$4,000 per year and TO raise the sal
aries of circuit judges to $1,000 per
year in circuits containing over $4,000
population. This would increase
the salaries of the circuit judges in
the First. Second. Third and Fifth cir
cults and leave salaries for other cir
cults as they are now. A minority re-
port vas against the passage of the
bill. The select committee which in
~vestigated the reform school presented
n report. The house decided to meet
for the rest of the session at 10 o'clock
each day. Principal bills introduced:
Baker, making threshers' lien on
grain prior TO all other claims: Bras,
making the state superintendent of in
struction ex-oficio clerk of the state
board of regents Of education; Stod-
dard, to allow a copy TO be used where
the original bill introduced has been
lost or stolen: requiring railroads to
provide private crossings for farmers;
Everitt, allowing the railroad commits
sioners to offer a reward OF not more
than $500 for the apprehension of cat
tie thieves; Foley, to fix a minimum
valuation Of railroad property for as
sessment and taxation; Wade, a valued
insurance law.
The bill for a heating plant at the
deaf and dumb school was cut to 81
800. The bill to appropriate $4,000
for a building at the state university
was put Over until Friday. The APP
preparation asked by the agricultural
NotitSC "a Nut w FtsoOO tht ttNaLu-
cry building and $12.00 for the drill
hall, the appropriations for dormitory
and chapel having been cut from the
bill. This caused the hottest battle of
the afternoon. Glass fighting for the
full appropriation asked. seconded by
Woody and Cornwell, while Dwight
and Wllmarth made a fight for econ
omy, and finally won,
The senate passed a long list of bills
and did not put in much time at dis
cussion, the bills passed being:
Providing for the publication of the
reports of the railroad commissioners.
inspectors Of mine, Inspector of the
board OF pharmacy and board of pub
lie health; permitting counties by pop
ular vote to exempt 500 worth of per-
sonal property from taxation; permit
ting cities 10 bond for 4 per cent of
their valuation for the erection of
school buildings; extending the lowers
of city boards of equalization. giving
them power 10 issue m and adj
minister oaths; joint resolution in
structing members of ngre to vote
against seating a polygamist.
Gov. Lee sent n message on the Phil
ftaa Ia -