Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-04-12

the former. Except fol- the principle
involved the matter is too trivial, how
ever, to be worthy of consideration.
The third victim is the law to give
the governor power to remove his APP
pointive officers at will and to cause
the removal of regents of education
and members Of the board of charities
and corrections by trial before the
courts Of the state. Every governor
since statehood has asked for this
power, and Governor Lee made the
fight of his life for the enactment of
such a law two years ago, when the bill
passed q republican house but was
fooiishly rejected by a republican sen.
ate. It is entirely in the interest OF
good government and is a measure
that the people are sure to uphold.
The only trouble with it is that under
its provisions the governor removed
the populist state oil inspector, who is
a member of the "Referendum League
and believes he'has a grievance.
The third sacriticial victim is the
act defining the terms of members of
the various state boards and provid-
ing that members of these boards ap.
pointed in recess may hold without
confirmation by the senate only until
the close of the succeeding session of
the legislature. This bill clearly car.
ries out the intent of the state con-
stitution, which declares that certain
officials shall be appointed by the
governor shy and with the consent of
the senate" Without such a law the
governors recess appointments, it is
held by the supreme court, must stand
for the full term. no matter if that
term is for six years. The law is now
under consideration by the supreme
court, rs under its provisions vacan-
cies were declared in the board of char
tiles and corrections, two of the mem.
bers of the board never having been
confirmed by the senate. 1t is also
true that this bill passed the house of
representatives unanimously, every re-
publican and every populist casting
his vote for it.
But it was not enough that the hand
full of self-constituted patriots who
mel at Huron should arrogate to thea
selves the power to override the law
making branches OF the state govern
ment. Notwithstanding all the fuss and
formality attending the election OF the
legislators and the governor-they saw
fit to DELEGATE the power to Il rump
committee consisting of five men, and
these men, to put it mildly, not such
as would be chosen by the people to
judge of matters of much concern.
This rump committee will consider
whether it is best to also apply the re-
ferendum to the so-called tax scaveng-
er law, the ballot law, the educational
law, the law creating the office of dairy
commissioner, and the law increasing
the salaries of the governor and judges
of the supreme and circuit court.
The SO called tax scavenger bill is IA
measure modelled after a law that has
done a great deal of good in Minnesota
and should result in cleaning mp a mass
of delinquent real taxes in this state.
1t is clearly in the interest of the farm
ers and others who pay their taxes and
can affect adversely only the specula-
tors who make a practice of being able
to effect Il compromise or to compel
some innocent purchaser to assume
them. 1t applies only to taxes levied
prior to 1900 and is calculated to put
many thousands of dollars into the
state, county and city treasures which
rightfully belong there but which now
repose in the pockets of spectators
who pay no taxes that they can avoid
and fatten off the farmers and others
who pay their real estate taxes when
due.
The dairy law is a measure calcu.
lated to bring wealth to the farmers
of the state and was passed for their
particular benefit. The educational
law is a compilation of the old statutes
that is practical and easily understood
The law increasing the salaries of the
governor and judges is so m%anifestly
fair that no defense OF it is necessary
During the session of the legislature
and since its adjournment great how
has been sit up by the fusion press
bureau to the effect that a large num-
Der of tyrannical and unjust laws haG
been passed during the session just
closed, and that in particular the legis
lators had looted the treasury and
plunged the state into hopeless bank.
ruptcy. The Referendum League
has met. 1t decided to hold up fou
, laws of minor Importance, and delegate
to a rump committee the power to hol'
up a few others, all of them meritori
Gus measures. Not an act carrying a,
: appropriation was touched, and no
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