Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-02-23
Reform Balls Become Laws.


A Pierre dispatch dated February 18th
says, rather abruptly the primary bill
emerged from the tangle of bullrushe'
where it has been obscured by variety
of incumberances in the way of amend
ment and reaching the open sea through
the manipulation of joint conference
committee made straight for port. II
has 'arrove" A little of its sail has
been cut but it is probably the more sea-
worthy because of it. As originally
drawn it contained a provision for coun.
ty local option which permitted counties
TO waive its applications to county nom
inations whenever desired, but the
house section Of the joint committee is
sued an ultimatum to the committee oi
the senate that a conference agreement
must leave out all provision for such
manner Of passing up a good thing, and
the senate committee swallowed the
medicine and called it sweet. After this
there was no difficulty in reaching an
agreement and the measure which revo.
lutionized the party last year and will
have important bearings on the future is
now an effective law of the state. 1t is
too lengthy for analysis at this time, but
it may be said in a general way that il
10 20
Of work than the bill which created the
furore two years ago and then died oi
strangulation. It's enactment into law
is considered the most important accom-
plishment of the new administration up
to the present time because Of the ex.
treme agitation which has attended the
progress of primary legislation in this
state. More than that, it marks the full
tillment of every pledge made by the in
surgents in the platform declaration at
Sioux Falls last June and is an evidence
to the people that promises imply obli-
cations to fulfillment that must be ept
by the men whom the people select for
their standard bearers. There has al
ready been enacted the following reform
measures:
A comprehensive primary election
law.
An anti lobbying law.
An anti.pass law
A law preventing corporations for pro
fit from making contributions to politi-
cal committees or candidates.
If it was inferred in the platform that
more power should be given to the rail
road commission the conclusion has
been reached that it now has all the
power which the legislature has or can
confer and the proposition is for it to go
ahead and do business Along this line
it may be noted that following the de-
feat of the rate bill, another important
measure has been introduced by Glass.
of Codington, which provides for the
appointment Of an expert commission to
examine into the question of rates and
earnings and report TO the commission
after which the commission will promul.
gate such rates as shall appear to be just
and equitable in both passenger and
freight traffic. A liberal appropriation
is asked for to warrant the most search
ing investigation along these lines and
with one Of the most astute attorneys in
the state as member of the railway
commission, in the person of George
Rice, of Moody county, there is a dispo.
sition on the part of the progressive
members of the legislature to await the
action of the commissioners in case such
bill is passed as that under considera-
tion.
A new rate bill will be born today, but
it will have questionable standing from
the start both from the standpoint of
expediency and from parliamentary
right to exist and the general opinion is
that it will head straight for the dump
heap where it will be joined 10y an in
Vulnerable throng of misfits and unfor-
tunates from now on TO the close of the
session The sitting process is now on
and only the fittest will survive, and no
more bills will be introduced after Wed
nesday of this week except by unan-
nous consent.