The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-03-01
MOVES MORE RAPIDLY
LEGISLATIVE MACHINE TURNING
OUT MANY NEW LAWS.

MeASuTe empowering NON1NISSI0U 20
Determine the Actua, Value Of Rail.
way Lines Passes the House-Two
and a Half Cent Rate Bill Approved.
Pierre, Feb. 25.-The legislative ma
chine is now well oiled and goes on
with the rhythmic swing of a Corliss
engine. The average legislature in
South Dakota passes 200 laws. 1t
does about forty-five days of actual
work. Therefore it Is necessary to
consider and enact about five bills per
day. AS the renowned Monaghan
used to say: That's keepin' Jestice
on the jump"
Naturally at this late period in the
session the wheels are turning pretty
rapidly and it Is not surprising that
some rot very well digested bills slip
through. However, the members are
wary and if they do not thoroughly
understand a proposition are pretty
likely to hit 1t hard. So 1T is that the
good roads bill, really meritOrious
measure, is having hard shedding and
amended out Of it, while the negoti-
able instruments bill has already suf-
fered an untimely end.
1t Is dawning upon many minds that
It Is poor economy to thus rush legis-
iation and several plans for more de-
nberate action, without increasing the
cost. have been proposed.
~ A Naval C,0oae&iHn
Mr. Larson, particularly thought
full member from Union county, makes
the suggestion that annual assemblies
Of the legislature be held for thirty
days only. That at the first session
bills may be introduced but only emer-
gency measures be passed, while at
the second assembly only emergency
measures may be introduced and
passed, while those introduced the
previous year may be considered. This
would permit full year for the peo-
pie to consider proposed legislation
with the formulated bills before them,
q plan that presents many desirable
features.
The educational code was the spe-
cial order on Tuesday and occupied
The entire day in the house. 1t was
passed with but one material altera-
Hon from the committee bill. The
provision In the original bill fixing
minimum wages at which teachers
could be employed, to be regulated by
their educational standings and sc
graduated as to induce teachers to
make an effort to qualify themselves
for the work, was, after long discus
sion headed by Larson and CLANCY
stricken out.
Fight on High School Law.
Four years ago Carroll secured the
enactment OF law providing thai
country districts should pay the tut
tion OF any child who had successfully
passed the eighth grade examination
In some high school, the intent OF the
hill being that a free high schoo
course should be open to every chilt
In the state. The law has worked ad
mirably. It has inspired youngster:
In very many districts to make the
effort to get an education, but some
districts have paid the tuition mos
grudgingly In the last two sessions
there has been an effort to repeal thu
provision. The new code embodied
this provision and Ranum made ;
strong attempt to strike 1t out. HI
made long and excellent address TO
his position. In reply Hebal gave Ok
preston to the choicest epigram
the session He said: There Is NJ
tax l pay so willingly as the schoo
tax. l would rather pay S. for tn
support OF schools than 81 for the SUP
port of penitentiaries. Ranum'
amendment was lost.
One of the important measure
which has become law the past wee
10 Glass bill requiring railroad CON
pany planning to build parallel lin
to secure permission from the railroa
commission. While competing line
are generally desirable there are II
stances when the contrary is true. B
paralleling 4 weak line a strong on
frequently kills competition. This
what the Milwaukee has undertake
T. do in the case of the South Dakot
Central. The Glass bill is intended t
protect this little line from destru'
i've competition
Actual Value Of Railroads.
Possibly the most important bill
al that has been before the legisl'
ture passed the house Friday. 1t en-
powers the railroad commission
employ exports to determine the 81
tuaa value of the several railroad line
In money as a basis for rate adjus
mont Until the actual value OF tn
railroad plant is known no intelliger
action can be taken looking to tn
establishment Of equitable rates. M
Glass made his best speech for tn
measure
Glass, by the way, introduced tn
hrst anti-lobby law which appeared
the West into the legislature of 1S9
whom it was indefinitely postpone
He has taken some pride recent
since his new bill became law
digging up the old battle SCARED We
eran of ten years ago and filing 1t
- frfO