The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-03-09
CONSIDERED GREAT
ECONOMIC QUESTIONS
What the Solons OF South Da-
kota Have Been Doing
Past Few Weeks.
ELRoD CONGRATULATED
Many Bills of vast Importance to the
State Were Passed, Including Rev
enue. Public Morals, Education
al and Economic Measures.

al n Economic Measures.
Pierre. S. d., March S.--1'hc inn
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
Herfeid and Elrod. With abundant
resources the state was on its uppers.
There was much theorizing, but it re-
malned for Governor Elrod to work
practical plans and present them
Tor action. The ways and means COM
mittees of both houses, headed by Sem
lator Dillon and Representative CLANCY,
gave him the most loyal support and
made mis- 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
sessfnent and adopt uniform standards
OF assessment, with the power of as
sessment conferred upon each board OF
assessment, town, county and state,
and finally the inheritance tax. One
other Dill proposed by Governor Elrod,
increasing the assessment upon insur-
atce companies, passed the house but
was srnothered in the senate. 1t is
confidently believed that these laws
VIII 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 hich 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
d'pplng plant; rewards for the cap
ture OF thieves, and wolf bounties. both
from tile state and counties. NATURAL
~ the Butte county delegation, where
5the Belle Fourche project is mainly
located, We're most active in the jrriea-
ton proposition, Senator Mortimer and
representative Stokes being the prin-
p managers of the movement. Ey-
cry western member gave active and
j effort to the live stock measures,
put 70 Parmley of Edmunds is due the
credlt for formulating and managing
the bills for the protection of this val
liable interest.
In this class of legislation may he
placed the capitol building bill, which
naturally fell to the care Of the MEM
per from Pierre. Hon. job Sutherland.
Equally interested with him were Gov
efllof lllrod and Colonel Stewart.
Regarding Water Rights.
Legislation relating to water rights
occupled 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
DrOCeR1jnoS and Siyarf 4lo,,, -. ~.
natural channels for The purpose of
supplying water for domestic and COM
lnercial purposes. In effect this act
made 1t 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
tae legislature by people whose water
supply was threatened by the action
or DeadWood and the first enactment
was repealed by mother which was
almost AS severe as tho other and pro
Hlded thai no city could go outside it's
the close the legislature became very
charrE OF any proposition which in
-Voived interference with water rights
and the Aberdeen sewer bill was killed
because being a general law it con-
ferred some powers relating to water
Wili1h ~eiSeNHeTe might prove OppreS-
!sive.
The Educational Proposition.
OF the educational propositions. tho
bill providing for interstate reciprocity
III the matter of teachers certificates.
promoted by Representative Kribs, and
the farmers institute plan, managed |
by Senator Lightner and Representa-
tive Parmley, of Edmunds, were the
most noteworthy. Pertaining TO this
SIIhjarC the nav co60p1 ,o,c,,c 1,,, r..
,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 Hoi-i
mans. This is an entirely new depart
ure and places all of the matters relat-
ing to political and conven-
tons under the regulation of drastic |
laws. Parmiey's prisoners parole law
is another departure within this class
of bills. The prohibition of stock Job
hing and bucket shops, brought about
by the efforts of Representative Foster,
is a much needed protection to public
morals, and the acts defining and pun
1Shins all manner of confidence and
swindling games will no doubt go far
to make this region unpopular for the
thlmbleriggers who fatten upon the
.sullibility of the public.
Revising Code Clauses.
4 good ns:.2ss:+h!.!s we're passed which
supplied provisions and cured defects !
in the revised codes of two years ago.
but the entire number Of enactments
were 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 APP
preparations, and the result was ultra
conservatism in this regard. The only
special bills passing outside of those
pertaining to the usual deficiencies,
expenses. printing and the
like, were the repairs for the soldiers
home to the extent of $751; 900. the Abb
erdeen normal shops, l 5000; and SIS