The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-03-17
CONSIDERED GREAT
ECONOMIC QUESTIONS
What the SoIons Of South Da-
kota Have Been Doing
Past Few Weeks.
ELROD CONGRATULATED
Many Bills of Vast Importance to the
State Were Passed, Including Kew
enue, Public Morals, Education
al and Economic Measures.

Pierre, S. D., March S.--Thc i'm
portant legislation of the recent session
may be classified as revenue, public
morals, educational and economic.
For many months the necessity for
Legislative action looking to the mend
ing of the financial condition of the
state was pressed upon the attention of
the public and that theme was the
burden of the messages Of Governors
Herreid and Elrod. With abundant
resources the state was on its upperS.
There was much theorzing, but it re-
manned for Governor Elrod to work
out practical plans and present them
for action. The ways and means COM
mlttees of both houses, headed by Sem
ator Dillon and Representative CLANCY,
gave him the most loyal support and
made> his plans their own and pressed
them into enactmentS. These comprise
the tax ferret BILL the law requiring
the county auditors to meet each year
in March with the state board O. as
sessment and adopt uniform standards
OF assessment. with the power of as
seSsment conferred upon each board o.
assessment town, county and state,
and finally the Inheritance tax. One
other bill proposed by Governor Elrod,
increasing the assessment upon inSur-
ance companies. passed the house but
was smOthered in the senate. 1t is
confidently believed that these laws
will result in sufficient revenue for the
necessities of the state economically
administered.
Great Economic Bill.
Those matters of great economic
value are led by the irrigation code
providing all of the legal regulations
for the vast irrigation projects in west
ern South Dakota which the general
government has set on foot. The live
stock laws, for the protection of the
states most important industry; these
include the live stock commission;
dipping plant; rewards for the cap
ture of thieves. and wolf bounties. both
from the state and counties. Natural
~ the Butte county delegation, where
the Belle Fourche project is mainly
located, We're most active in the irriga-
ton proposition. Senator Mortimer and
Representative Stokes being the prin-
clDal managers of the movement Ey-
cry western member gave active and
loyal effort to the live stock measures.
but to Parmley of IIdmunis is due the
credit for formulating and managing
the bills for the protection of this VAL
liable interest
In this class Of legislation NAV be
placed the capitol building bill. which
naturally fell to the care of the mem
Der from Pierre, Hon. John Sutherland.
Equally interested with him were Gov
ernor Elrod and Colonel Stewart
Regarding Water RiuI1ts.
Legislation relating to water rights
occupied much attention. The first act
upon the subject relating directly to the
interests of DeadWOod, but not the less
a general law conferred upon cities the
right to go outside their limits and take
possession of streams by condemnation
proceedings and divert them from their
natural channels for The purpose Of
l.,
mercial purposes. In effect this act
made it possible to take possession Of
streams long used for irrigation pur-
poses by the citizens of a long and
broad valley and entirely cut off their
water supply. This possibility was
promptly brought to the attention of
the legislature by people whose water
supply was threatened by the action
of Deadwood and the first enactment
was repealed by another which was
almost as severe as the other and pro-
Nided that no city could go outside it's
own watershed to obtain water. Toward
the close the legislature became very
charry of any proposition which in
VOWED interference with water rights
and the Aberdeen sewer bill was killed
because being a general law it con-
ferred some powers relating to water
which elsewhere might prove oppres-
sive.
The Educational Proposition.
or the educational propositions, the
bill providing for interstate reciprocity
in the matter of teachers certificates
promoted by Representative Kribs and
the farmers institute plan, managed
by senator Llghtner and Representa-
tive Parmley, of Edmunds were the
most noteworthy. Pertaining to this
subject the new school census law in
troduced by Senator Hutchinson will
have an important influence in secur-
Ing equitable distribution of the school
moneys.
OF the laws relating to public morals,
the most important is the caucus and
convention bill of Representative Hol-
mans. This is an entirely new denart-
ure and places all of the matters relat-
ing to political caucuses and conven-
tons under the regulation of drastic
laws. Parmiey's prisoners parole law
Is another departure within this class
or bills. The prohibition of stock lob
bling and bucket shops, brought about
ny the efforts of Representative Foster.
IS much needed protection to public
morals, and the acts defining and pun
ishing all manner of confidence and
swindling games will no doubt 80 far
70 make this region unpopular for the
th1mbleriggerS who fatten upon the
gullibility of the public.
Revising Code Clauses.
good many bills were passed which
supplied provisions and cured defects
in the revised codes of two years ago.
but the entire number of enactments
+ We're but little in excess of one half the
number OF the last previous session.
All of the influences of the session
both within and outside of the legisla ;,
ture were in the interest of small an
preparations, and the result was ultra
conservatism in this regard. The only
special bills passing outside of those
pertaining to the usual deficiencies
legislative expenses, printing and the
hke, We're the repairs for the soldiers
home to the extent of $3.50 the Az,
e7deen normal shops, $4,000: and SIN