The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-02-13
The MINORITY may
BECOME A MAJORITY
House Organization at Pierre
Is Overturned Amid Great
Excitement.
SPLIT ON NORMAL BILL.
Consideration of Appropriation Of $751;
900 Is Made a Special Order for
Feb. Redistribution Counties
Lose Eleven Votes.

Pierre, S. D., Feb. 4.-The minority
organization OF the house to hold up
special appropriations bids fair to be-
come a majority organization, as their
agreement now has about fifty signu-
lures.
The house appropriations committee
favorably reported the bill to appro-
pirate $45, 900 for a dormitory at the
| Aberdeen normal, but after a hard fight
1t was made a special order for Feb
ruary %, the purpose of the delay be-
ing to secure data from this inStitu-
ton, as well as others, in regard to
attendance, before any action is taken.
The committee on public lands re-
turned an unfavorable report on the
lease bill, which was prepared by ex-
Commissioner Eastman, and for which
he had been making a strong fight. A
minority report was promised, but that
has fallen by the wayside, and it is
now promised that a fight will be made
on the floor Of the house against the
committee report. Indications at pres
ent all point to the failure Of the
measure. A little more life is promised
for the third week, but most OF the
~scrapping is being done in the Hobbies,
and but little floor work has as yet
shown up. IF
The break in program Monday owe,
the Aberdeen appropriation was the re-
SoA - Az Ia Liz OlllGI
institution towns with the strong
minority which has been built up in
the house to try and hold the balance Of
power when the grist of special appro-
prlations is dumped into the legislative
hopper and prevent the demolition of
the resources in the treasury. The II
votes Of the institution towns recorded
against the bill will be favorable to the
special appropriations in the final &C.
ton, but after subtracting them from
the combined vote the minority still
has 81 votes, which is enough to block
every special appropriation bill, as it
requires a two-thirds vote to pass a
special appropriation. This is the first
time that the organization has been
overturned. e
All kinds of reports are being circu-
lated to rebuke the action or admins
ter further punishment. 1t is freely as
serted that this is but the beginning Of
strife which will soon find it's way into r.
the senate also.
When Lawson Of Aberdeen last night
asserted that the bill would be rushed
through the n he was defed and
threatened with defeat if he mad the
attempt. Lawson accused Gross, a
democrat, of being the leader of the re-
publican house, and Gross, who made a.
great fight for the winners today, adj
mltted that there were times when men
would IKE TO do business under any
banner.
The Black Hills crowd claim that
earlier in the session they were ac-
cused of being nine Spots" and now
they see a way to play face cards"
Sack of the contention lies the cause
in the warfare made against remedial
insurance legislation and other mat
ters having to do with corporation mat
tiers. Certain persons have been noti-
fed to keep their hands off matters
where people want relief, notably in
surance and oil legislation.