Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-02-12

l term OF O Lie pEuAk1oberN Oh this
bill claim that all the school lands west
Of the river would be leased by the own.
ers of large herds Of cattle and horses il
the lease could be given for sufficient
length OF time &c warrant the putting in
of dams, sinking artesian wells, and
other improvements necessary TO make
them valuable to the stock industry.
People acquainted with South
Dakota will be surprised That there
10 q call for Legislation against the
planting Of trees ia certain localities
but Representative Frieberg has
introduced a bill prohibiting the
planting Of trees within thirty feet
Of the highways in this state. 1t is
claimed in support of the bill!
that the trees serve 20 blcck the
roads with snow during the win Ter
and make them impossible. Ths
people of the state will wondsr
where trees a.s thus plentiful.
Senator Moody has introdnceh an
anti-compact law, which is n of the
most drastic Of measures. Ii provides
as a penalty the forfeiture OF licenss to
do business for one year and a fnes Of
$500 for violations. II also contains lan
affidavit which companies are to maize
when applying for license, and gives THE
commissioner Of insurance the right to
summon any officer of Al insurance
company to testify, and upon the re.
fusal of such officer the commissioner
shall have power to annul the license to
do business. IL is very doubtful il the
bill viii pass. In fact, it is q very safe
bet that it will not.
One of the shrewdest members of the
lobby, who is himself deeply interested
in a building bill, said after the vote
was taken Monday afternoon on the
Northern Normal school bill that he
would not be surprised 10 see every
special defeated. It is probable he is
unduly alarmed, though IL is hourly
more and more apparent that some of
the specials viii have a hard road TO
travel unless the institution counties 90
into an ironclad agreement to stand to-
gether and can draw 10 them sufficient
additional members TO secnre two-thirds
Of both houses for every bill.
One Of the features which is attract
ing the attention Of the Legislature at
the present time ID the matter of appro-
priations, both regular and special. 1t
seems that when the organization was
perfected the parties governing il prom
ised almost anything asked by the vari-
ous state institutions. These bills have
nearly all been introduced, and, taken
together, they aggregate q sum that
makes the Legislature tremble. Il is a
sure thing that some of them must die,
but the question seems 70 be which ones
It is stated by parties who have taken
the trouble to add up the present special
bills that the amount already asked is
something over 100000. II Ia no won
der that the powers that control the
session are looking for some place to
get of.
Everything was cavorting along
smoothly in the session until the begin
ming Of this week, and it looked as
though the combine made nc the outset,
which easily submitted the capital
question, would just as easily pass all
the appropriation bills, and this session
would be handed down In history as the
most harmonious body Of Legislators sever
assembled in the history Of shis or any
other state. But Monday the break
came, and it was well for the repubh-
can party and the people of the state
that it came early enough 10 avert fur.
ther disaster. The conservative mem
bers OF both bodies, under tho leader.
ship Of Burnstead, of Codiugton, took
up the proposed appropriation bills, and
they Were astonisheda at the total amount
asked-and well they might be. Look
at the list for q moment. Here IL Is:
The board of regents of education has
recommended special and general bills
to the amount OF $72S, 900; the board OF
charities and corrections added their
specials and generals 70 the amount Of
S699, 200: the Legislative expenses of the
present session viii add $4,000 to the
above sums; special appropriations not
Included in any Of the three mentioned,
about $500, 700; salaries and expenses Of
state officers, ETC., $4,000; making q
total Of "a, Oos, 400. These conservatives
also inquired into the estimated reve-
nues OF the state and found, upon in
quiry to the state auditor, that . con.
sentative estimate, based upon last
years assessment, the Of che
state would amount TO 9i,i60.0O0 for
the coming year. Thus, II ell the bills
We're passed, there would be a deficit of
abous $S50,0O0. Counties not having
institutions are determined that no such
enormous amount Of deficit shall be
saddled upon this state. They are de-