The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-01-31
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ment land in western South Dakota
by fraudulent means. The methods
employed in this alleged wholesale
grabbingto of the public domain are said
to be similar to those employed by
ranchmen in western Nebraska As
the opening chapter in the war to be
waged against the illegal holders of
public land in South Dakota the Unit
cd States authorities in Sioux Falls
have instituted civil actions against
several parties with the object of hav-
ing the federal courts cancel patents
(titles) which were issued by the gov
ornment in cases where fraud is al
legged to have been used in securing
the land from the government. The
knowledge that these actions have
been commenced, and that they arc
but the forerunner of many such cases
to be instituted by the United States
authorities during the next few weeks,
will cause a great sensation among the
cattlemen of western South Dakota,
some at least of whom have made no
secret Of the methods employed by
them in securing vast tracts of govern
ment land as grazing ground for their
United States authorities in Sioux Falls
will be mindful of the rights of hon
est homesteaders, and in the carrying
on of the warfare against those who
hold tracts of government land by ille-
gal means the rights of those who
have honestly Obeyed the land las
OF the United States will be fully pro-
tected.
The papers over the state which
have been criticising the state capitol
commission in regard TO the class Of
stone to be used in the new capitol
building, and demanding the use of
South Dakota stone, can hardly keep
up their criticism Of the capitol COM
mission under the provisions Of the
specifications. They ask for bids on
a basis of Sioux Falls granite, Black
Hills sandstone; Bedford, Ind, lime
stone; Kettle River, Mimi, sandstone,
and Marquette, Mich, raindrop sand
stone. This gives a list large enough
to preclude any question of favOrit
ism, and places the whole matter as
one within the appropriation allowed
by the legislature for the work The
advocates of Sioux Falls granite say
that If the appropriation is not suffi-
cient to allow the use of South Dakota
stone it should be increased for that
purpose. The only way to increase it
would be through Legislative action,
and large majority of the Legislature
last winter, including the whole OF
the IIinnehaha County delegation.
thought that 100000 was all the peo-
pie of the state would be willing to
stand in the way OF cost Of state
building. The plans have been pre-
pared on that basis, and it is not likely
that another legislature would be any
more liberal than the past one. The
commission is limited in its present
work by that legislative action, and
cannot change the appropriation. The
only thing left for the home stone
people is to show that they are able to
compete with outsiders and they will
no doubt get the work
r. 4
An interesting case will shortly come
up in the circuit court at Deadwood.
The suit will be brought by the tax
payers of Lawrence County against
the state of South Dakota for the pur-
pose of effecting reduction of taxes
for. the yeaS' 1905. At the annual
meeting of the state board of equaliza-
ton held in Pierre last August, the
board increased the valuation as re-
turned by the county auditor on all
city and town realty in Lawrence
County IL per cent. This created a
great stir among the property holders
in the county, as the valuation was al
legged to be much higher than the val
uation returned by other counties. The
Commercial Club, of Lead, through
their representative, Chambers Kellar,
endeavored to have the board recon
slider it's action, but was unsuccessful.
The club, therefore, presented the mat
ter to the city councils and school
boards of Lead, Deadwood and Spear
fish. The result has been that the
treasurer of Lawrence County has
been enjoined from accepting more
than eight-ninths of all taxes assessed
against town and city realty in Law
renee County for 1905. The commit
tee appointed by the Lead Commercial
Club are requesting that each taxpay-
err in the county contribute at least 81
on each $1,000 on town and city prop
erty to help pay the expense of liti-
cation.
Enthusiasm of tensity never before
equaled has resulted in the formation
of an association that will fiaunt the
vasr resources OF South Dakota to the
world and attract to the state during
1906, an army of investors and set
tiers to reap the handsome returns
promised by the exceptional opportu-
mites offered in all portions of the
commonwealth. The South Dakota
Development and Immigration Society.
Of which Gov. Samuel Elrod is an
enthusiastic member, consists of over