Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-03-16
WORK OF THE LNaIsLArURL.
What South Dakota Lawmakers Accom-
Pushed at Recent Session.

4
The legislative session which has tust
closed here made several new records
for legislative bodies, says Pierre dis
patch of the llth: While there has
been considerable antagonism between
the two houses. which on some points
has been open hostility, there has been
no delay in pushing business even on
the measures in which they could not
come to an agreement. Early in the
session the house adopted a resolution
to dispense with sitting committee,
and 1t was predicted at that time that
the list of bills would be so large at the
close of the session that there would be
confusion and delay. Just the opposite
resulted. and when the closing hours ar
rived all bills which had got through
the committees were cleared of the
calendars OF both houses with no neces.
sity Of q last night session for any other
purpose than to receive the reports of a
few conference committees and to allow
the presiding officers Of the two houses
to sign the last bills in the presence Of
the houses in compliance with constitu.
tional provisions. Never since the state
has been organized has the work of both
houses been completed in this manner.
The fact that large number of laws
have been passed makes 1t all the more
noteworthy.
While large number of minor bills
have been enacted into law, several i'm.
portant general laws haye been created.
Among the most important of these are
the law creating food and dairy COM
missioner, with extensive powers in re-
gard to looking after the adulteration of
food products and the dairy Interests Of
the state. This bill failed two years ago,
and was pushed early in the session, and
was enacted in time to allow the ap-
pointment of the commissioner to be-
gin his duties at once. The wolf bounty
law was entirely changed in its proyi-
sions. and as it now stands the total
amount which can be used for that pur.
pose in any one year is $1,000, and this
is to be held until the close of the fiscal
year and then prorated on the number
Of scalps presented for the bounty. The
educational bill which passed is one
shich, while in the main is a copy OF the
old law, contains several new provi-
sions, which it is believed will make it
more effective. Another general law
enacted is a change in the license for
selling liquor, one Of the main proyi-
siohs OF which is to prevent druggists
from handling liquor for any purpose,
and place the sale Of it entirely with IL
censed saloonkeepers. The bill as pass
ed was compromise measure and whi le
it does not satisfy practically any inter-
est concerned it is in the main good
measure. The bill for reorganization of
the state militia under the title OF the
South Dakota State Guard, will, it is be-
lieved, bring out good organisation, as
the state has a large amount of equip
ment on hand, and state appropria-
tion of $4,000. besides paying the adju-
tant general salary sufficient to allow
him to devote his time to the work of
thorough reorganization.
The bill which sought to curb the
building and loan associations passed
the senate, but failed of passage in the
house. The measure was intended to
more thoroughly define the powers and
duties of such associations.
In the line of insurance several valued
policy bills were introduced late in the
session, but failed of consideration.
Probably the most important action in
this line was that regulating the organ
isation of state mutual companies, and
placing all such companies under the
control of the state insurance commits
sioner, a provision in regard to such
companies which have been lacking in
past laws. Besides this one or two
were passed, further regu.
lating county mutual insurance COM
panies.
The matters of taxation and assess.
ment have taken mp considerable Q Of the
time of the session, and among the many
m measures introduced probably the most
important one to pass has been the one
to provide for cleaning up of all old
taxes prior to last year. 1t is estimated
that there are at least 100000 of old
state, county and district taxes out
and that this bill will bring at
least million dollars of this into the
various treasures, and at the same time
clear up large amount of tax from the
records, which probably never would be
settled in any other way. Besides this,
acts have been passed to allow the coun.
ty treasurer to employ a hran on CON-
mission to search ont property which
has escaped, which will 60 by the name
of the tax ferret bill, name which it
has won for itself in Iowa. Other bills
were passed tending toward securing
greater revenue for the state, which will
all be needed on account Of growing ex-
penses of government, and to make up
the loss which will accrue to the state
revenues by the change in the liquor lie
cense law.
The matter oflibraries has received
great deal of attention, and two laws
have been passed on that subject. one
to provide for the construction of IT.
brary buildings and maintaining Ii
braries in cities and the other to pro-
vide fund for libraries in country
schools.
The bill for revision and codification
Of the lawa which Maa passed on the