The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-16
Legislators Regard 1t the Best
in History Of State
Papers
REVIEWS EVERY ISSUE
Governor Says That Good Management
Must Characterize All State lnsti-
ADMINISTRATION of Financial
Problem Is Badly Needed.

tuesday noon. The document is vo-
ment of the state administration.
The message is favorably commented
on by all members of the legislature as
covering more comprehensively the af-
fairs Of the state than any similar
document issued since statehood.
Governor Herreid says in his mes
sage:
Since the meeting Of the last legisla-
ture the people have mourned the loss Of
three OF it's most distinguished citizens:
died July l., 1901; Attorney General John
l.. Pyle, February q, 1902, ard Circuit
Judge Frank j. Washabaugh, May 80,
lY12 me extraordinary and extremely
difficult task of filling the vacancies thus
created In these important positions was
thrown upon the executive Of the state.
1t Is a source of comfort that the appoint
ments made have given entire satisfac-
zion.
These men were hono-ed officials Of
the state at the time Of their death, and
their memory will be lastingly cherished
by all who knew them.
To the people of South Dakota the first
two years of the new century have been
q period of contentment and happiness.
II mas oeen a period of wonderful growth
and unrivaled prosperity. All industrial
and commercial energies have fourished
under most favorable conditions. All the
intellectual and moral forces of the state
nave been active In the cause of enlight-
eminent and righteousness.
Two years ago, in obedience to the will
OIL the people, nearly all official positions
and some of the Institutions required ap.
in harmony with the new ad-
scut1Ve of the state been confronted Will
so many vacancies. Impressed with the
belief that the affairs Of the state should
recognized by managers of great and sue
cessful industrial corporations, my first
efforts to apply these convictions came
IN the selection Of men to fill the various
positions IN the service of the state.
Il soon found that my ideals of good
government were not easily put into prac-
tice. Whenever I believed that the public
service could be made better I have ig-
nored applications for appointment and
even the recommendations of my best
friends in order to carry out my convic-
offices have been seeking the men. Some
times 1T required a personal appeal to
their sense OF duty as good citizens to as
sumo official burdens which to them
meant neither honor nor reward.
l. nave constantly endeavored to enforce
the doctrine that the offices were not
created for the benefit of any individual
Or class .: Individuals; that with each
position there are certain peculiar duties
and responsibilities; that whenever any
ofhclal fails to ~:.easure up to the require
willingly. IL possible, but if not, then ex-
peditiously by order of the appointive
power. The act Of the legislature of 1901
giving the governor owe to unceremoni-
pusly remove officials Is a most important
step towards good government. O.
In the performance Of his duties the
executive is constantly hampered by a
mass Of restrictions and limitations of
that should be swept way. A dis
trtbution of responsibility Is demoralizing
and not productive Of the best results to
ne people. With greater freedom of ac-
personal accountability. An enlightened
and active public sentiment under such
conditions would be productive of the
partment of the public service. Let the
public official who betrays a public trust
repent, and be forgiven in the next world,
but in this w~orld-never!
Following this Introduction Governor
Herreid describes the condition of the
state treasury and the various state in
stitutions, all Of which are shown to be
IN excellent condition. He practically
indorSes the recommendations of the
state boards n officers for the appro-
priation for improvements on public
buildings, and also indorses the scheme
for providing employment for convicts
by the establishment of a binding Irvine
plant or by some other means. All of
these subjects are dealt with in the an
nual reports of department heads.
Governor Herreid recommends a new
basis for the payment of salaries Of
county officers, and says:
Z recommend that the entire registra-
ton list as filed by the county auditor by
basis Of determining the population.
The law as 1t now stands places the
salary upon a tiuctuating, elastic and un-
probably less than 70 per cent Of tha full
vote OF the state was cast. The result is
a material reduction in the salary of the
county superintendent Of every county,
estimated at from 500 to $500 per year
Tor the next two years. Such a shifting
basis should be abolished. We now have
a legal and correct way Of ascertaining
the, exact number of votes, established by
law Chapter Sc, laws Of 1S99), which re-
quires all legal voters to be registered by
the assessor, and provides hat those Who
are omitted by the assessor. or who move
into the county and establish their resi-
dence after the legislation has been made,
shaii, be registered by the registration
for its correctness. I
II the entire number Of votes is to he
used as basis for determining the en-
salary Is to be in part based on the nom
ulation as determined by the vote. then
It seems TO me self-evident when an alb
h oiuteiy f9Erec5 and legal standard has
act numper or legal voters can be ascer-
tanned, that standard should be used df-
rectly for determining the exact popula-
ton. and indirectly for reckoning the s1-
p~erintendent's salary. This proposition is
SO simple that it needs but to be stated
to be approved. A county seat fight. OF
other exciting causes may In one county
bring out q remarkably large vote, while
IN the neXt8county On account Of various
conditions that might be mentioned, less
than SO per cent Of d full vote may be
cast. In the former county the salary Of
the superintendent would be abnormally
large, while In the latter county it might
pc reduced to a point where it might be
impossible to fill the office with a COM
petent and worthy man.
The proposed amendment will not In.
crease y superintendent's salary; it
VIII simply give him his full salary, con-
templeted butfnot guaranteed by the pres
ent law.
The governor also, recommends the
building of good roads throughout the
state. He says the road tag system is a
farce and adds:
II mention more than one county
IN 2 state where for twenty years or
more the roadStax has been worked out, :
and the only tangible evidenc of this fact
consists in huge packages of Cancelled
warrants on the unit fund drawn for
imaginary services IN the part of the dis
trlct road supervisor.
believe the subject of good public
highways is worthy of your Individual
tion.