Omaha daily bee., 1900-12-12
S0MMERS AND BROWN In LINE
Speaker and Clerk Of South Dakota House
Willing to Serve Again.
OPPOSITION IS GATHERING SOME FORCE
other Aspirants for the Places Are
Making Deals That May Upset
the Plans of the Lead
Ing Pair.

PIERRE, s. D.. Dec. 1i.-(special.)-As
time goes by the indications point more
and more strongly to the probability of an
organization of the legislature to include
the same principal officers as those of last
session. This will mean Sommers for
speaker, and Bower for chief clerk of the
house, and Scriven for secretary OF the SEN
ate. This may be changed so far as the
chief clerkship is concerned by the substi-
tuition OF ]. w. Cone OF Sioux Falls instead
Of Bower. On this proposition there will
be a contest between the Black Hills sec
tion and the eastern part OF the state. 1t
is alleged that Bower has pledges of sup
port from seven out OF the nine members
from the Hills for the clerkship and II this
Is all they ask for. IL will give him a strong
leverage. On the other hand. II Is also al
legged that Cone has the solid support of
Minnehaha county, and this would be
strongly In his favor, but II is also asserted
that this support to Cone has a number of
strings to II, which are being held by the
numerous applicants for minor positions
from that county. who will do their worl,
for Bower to keep the field clear for them;
selves.
At the same time there are active oppo-
nents to the selection of Sommers. who be-
lieve they can land some other man. but
just who they will centralize on had not
yet been decided.
The legislature will be called upon 70
donate an ample sum toward the Louisiana
Purchase exposition at st. Louis, but the
Indications at the present time are that
such an appropriation will be hard to Sc
cure The necessary appropriations Of the
tuin no, 10 ,,,iyI ho a
preparations to about the highest notch
mense republican majority will feel that
they will have enough to account for In
this line without any extraordinary ex-
penditure. The chances are that the lobby
which will be here for that purpose will be
headed by Pierre Choteau, grandson OF the
man whose name this city bears, and whose
fortune was made by the fur trade In the
| Dakotas.
To Revive the Guard.
Among the measures which will be pre-
| scented at the coming session will no doubt
be one for the reorganization OF the state
militia. The organization went to pieces
when most Of the members OF the guard
went to the front as the First South Da-
kota, and the governor and adJutant general
| nave ulSCOurdBeu any reorganization since
the return of that regiment Just what
measures will be taken have not as yet
been outlined, but there is no question tha
| such a bill will be passed.
The library discussion over the state ha,
called out a demand for legislation on this
subject. and numerous ideas will be ad
vanced in this line. President T.. X. War
rem Of the Yankton college has a measur,
for general library law which he will
urge, and others are thoroughly interested
A move is on foot in the northern par
| Of the state to secure the passage OF a Law
for township local option in allowing stool
to range at large for the winter months
but that bill has met Its fate at so man!
sessions that the present one is not likel!
to give It much more consideration thai
former ones. Another bill for the appoint
ment of state stock inspectors will b,
pushed.
The wolf bounty bill, which was pushed
through the last session, will very likel!
be repealed by the coming session. 1t ha
shown that the amount appropriated as
continuing appropriation-s5,0O 900 per year
| will not by any means meet the calls upor
| the treasury, as there is now a deficit o
about 100000 after trial OF two years, anc