Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-01-11

lIk DOiiliCdl ~ AADN
to feel that he can rest implicitly upon the
assurance that the only test OF ms rlsns
to continue In the service OF the state IS
his faithful and efficient performance OF
duty and his worthiness. a.,
! I find that the state already has on us
! hands at Brookings, Madison and RAPID
|, and dilapidated condition and are fast be-
. coming untenantable. These buildings
were lily constructed and lily planned, and
the time is near when they VIII have 10 %
torn down.
School and Public Lands.
The opening paragraph in the very In.
teresting report of the commissioners OF
school and public lands for the biennial
period ending June 20, 1906, IS as follows:
ION the Goth day of June, 1906, there were
only seven cents of the permanent Gchool
fund uninvested and lying idle IN the state
treasury, the balance Of said fund con-
sist!ng of s., 267, 4S9.52, loaned in the several
counties of the state. and 81, $40, 097. So in de-
ferTed payments on school lands sold,
making a grand total Of s4.S07 ,5S7.0S which
is drawing interest. or this amount $685.
403. 10 in loans, and 81, $40, g.56 in deferred
payments. is drawing 8 per cent. interest
and the balance. s2.2ss, Ose.ss is drawing s
The keeping of this large fund safely In
vested requires great watchfulness and ac-
tivity.
While the unsold school lands are stead
lily advancing in value, 1t is very doubtful
wisdom TO go on selling them. In my
Judgment the best of these lands should
be taken from the market, and heartily
agree with the recommendation of the
commissioner that the minimum price be
raised to $40 per acre. 1t appears from
his report that the average price per acre
of these lands sold from 1891 to 1894 was
$13.56: from 1895 to 1898, $12. 76; from 1899 to
1902, s15.S6: from 1903 to 1906, s26.S5. These
figures show the wisdom of Withholding
from the market the most desirable of
these lands and of raising the minimum
price.
Clerk of the Supreme Court.
This is the only office in all the state
which Is without regulation. Section IL of
article b or the constitution provides that
the duties and emoluments of this officer
shall be prescribed by law and by the
rules of the supreme court not inconsistent
with law. Section 62S of the political code
provides that, He shall receive such fees
as are now, or may hereafter be fixed by
law But no law has ever been enacted
fixing his fees.
There is an impression abroad that his
revenues exceed the salary of any other
state officer, but whether that is true or
not, / am unable to say. Members OF the
supreme court and the governor are paid
a salary OF 5000 per year, circuit judges,
$500 per year, the attorney general, fill
ing an office of great responsibility and
crowded with work, $1,000 per year; the
other state officers, 81, 500 per year. All
these are prohibited by the constitution
from receiving perquisites or any indirect
increase in salary.
No good reason can be given for this. I
earnestly that this office be
put upon a salary basis. His duties are
merely clerical and there is no reason why
his salary should exceed that Of the attor-
ney general of the state.
Appropriations for State Officers.
In making appropriations for the ex-
penses incurred by the state officers dur
ing the next two years, you should take
into consideration the fact that il has been
determined by the people by means of
platform declarations of every political
party in the state and by the results of
| the recent general election thar the off,
GERS in the service of the state shall not
use free transportation or accept courte-
sizes in rhe form of franks, passes. or free
tickets IN any manner. This legislatures in
honor and decency absolutely bound to en-
act a strict and effective law abolishing the
pass evil, and will undoubtedly do its duty
at an early date. Provision must be made
by appropriation for the payment of the
transportation of the states officers nee
essarily incurred while transacting the
business or the state. The circuit Judges
of the state are compelled in the necessary
performances OF their official duties to be
absent from their homes a considerable
portion of the time. 1t Is not the intention
of the constitution TO compel these men
out of the small salary which they receive,
to pay their hotel bills and railway fare.
The allowance of such necessary expenses
incurred while in the service OF the state
is not either directly or indirectly an in
crease in their salary, but merely enables
them TO have the benefit Of that salary for
the support OF their families without be-
ing required TO pay out a large part of it
for expenses.
Section of article q of the constitution
fixes the salaries of each of the state Off
GERS and ends with these words:
They shall receive no fees or ~perquis-
ties whatever for the performance of any
duties connected with their offices. 1t
shall not be competent for the legislature
to increase the salaries OF the officers
named m. his article, except as herein
provided
Section 4 OF article IL of the constitution
provides that, AN itemized statement of
all receipts and expenditures OF the public
monies shall be published annually in such
manner as the legislature shall provide and
such statements shall be submitted to the
legislature az the beginning of each regu-
sage"
Under these provisions l consider It my
duty TO call your attention to what am
convinced has been an unconstitutional
attempt of prior leg.sla lures TO circum-
vent the above plain and emphatic inhibi-
tons of the constitution.
CHere the governor told of the use OF
the contingent fund by former governors
referred 20 at the opening OF this ac-
count.)
Platform Pledges Must Be Kept.
The dominant political party in this state
which is entrusted with the responsibility
for it's government and each of the other
political organizations In the state. have,
| by platform resolutions, emphatically de-
| clared in favor of the enactment of GER
These pledges must be redeemed by
| thoroughgoing and effective legislation.
| We could not go home and face our con-
stituents as honest men after all that has
occurred IN this state during the last three
| years, and be chargeable with having dis
regarded the plain mandates thus received
from the people.
Anti-Pass Law.
The national! congress has recently en-
acted a law absolutely prohibiting COM
mon carriers from directly or indirectly
issuing or giving any interstate free ticket,
free pass, or free transportation, to any
person or persons with certain exceptions.
While this law prohibits common car
riers from giving away Interstate trans.
portatioi. II does not reach the giving or
such favors within the limits of the state.
The measure passed by congress was very
thoroughly discussed from every stand
point by men of great ability and 1t may
be that you cannot do better than to enact
it as the law of this state. If so, l suggest
that the words, agents" and attorneys
at law" as used III the excepting clause
be clearly defined so as to prevent the is
suance OF passes for political purposes 10
persons who are in truth and good faith
agents or attorneys of the company issu-
ing them.
Experience, observation andfexceptionaii
opportunities for noticing the effect or
these favors upon men have thoroughly
convinced me as they have many others,
that the most seductive and dangerous In.