Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-03-08
WORK OF SOUTH
DAKOTA LEGISLATORS
TOLD BRIEFLY

Pierre, S. D., Mch. with little over
one week of the session remaining there
have been practically 666 bills and reso-
lutions introduced and of that num-
Der fifty-one have been filed with the
secretary of state after passage and
signature by the governor. Among the
more important of these measures ara
of course the administration bills which
are:
A comprehensive primary election
law, passed with an emergency clause,
n now effective.
A demurrage law providing for a rate
of demurrage to be paid by a company
not furnishing cars within a given time
after being ordered by the shipper and
applying also against the shipper for
failur to promptly load cars.
An anti-lobbying law, passed With,
emergency provision, and now effective.
An anti-pass law, also with an emer-
gency clause, and now effective.
Regulating campaign expenses and
prohibiting corporations for profit from
making contributions to political COM
mittees or candidates. This is embod-
led in two acts.
Reforms Which Weren't Promised.
Besides these there are several dis
tinctly reform measures not asked for
I'm the republican platform OF June,
1906, which have been passed upon.
Among these may be noted the employ
er's liability law, making the mine own
er, manufactures or common carrier
liable for the act of the employee wheth-
err accident occur through the careless
ness of the latter or in some other way.
Another measure provides for the an
nual accounting of life insurance COM
panies on surplus of deferred dividend
policies.
One also limits the working hours of
certain employees of common carriers to
sixteen hours Of consecutive service
and a rest of eight hours before they
can be again called into service.
Of General Importance.
other laws OF general Importance
Establishing a department of legis-
!ative reference.
Perfecting the law relating TO patents
On state lands.
Amending law compelling husbands
to support wife and children, making
nonsupport a misdemeanor.
Providing for destruction OF weed on
highways in the interest of good roads.
Permitting sureties on official bonds
to limit liability.
Requiring railroad companies TO pay
| double damage for killing of live stock
or setting fire I'm case settlement Is
not made in sixty days.
Prohibiting parallel lines OF railway
within eight miles for a longer distance
than ten miles. to protect South Da-.
kota Central railroad.
Providing for parole OF inmates or
| reform schools.
A drainage law to be operated in the
interest Of the public health.
The other measures passed are teen
| meal, sectional in their application, or
specific as to the correction of defects
in present law.
H. p4e@I,r4iDAe
Among the resolutions was the one
for the formation Of the investigating
| committee which has not yet completed
its laborS n will be in readiness to
receive the Washington delegation a
week from today. The most important
Of the resolutions proposes a constitu-
tional amendment dealing with the sub
iect of revenue and taxation, proposes
a tax upon gross earnings of common
carriers and other public corporations
and an inheritance tax.
To Be Acted on Yet.
The more important measures yet to-
be acted upon are:
The general educational bill.
The divorce law.
The general and special a]ppropria-
ions.
The 2h cent rate bill, which having
passed the house, is now being Consid-
cred in the senate.
The bill providing for an expert COM
mission to determine the valuation of
railroads and report to the railway
commission.
OF all these measures the ~appropria-
tion bills will have more interest for
the taxpayer than any others and the
asking is large enough SO that it will be
noticed.
Big Appropriations Asked.
According TO the estimates made by
the board of regents the needs of the
various state educational institutions
demand an appropriation of 1881 200 for
the years 1907-8 and 1881, 700 for the sue
ceeding year.
The board Of charities and corrections
asks for maintenance a total lump sum
of 1851 500 for 1907-S and 1927, 800 for h
succeeding year.
OF the miscellaneous appropriations
there is the soldiers home asking for
$102, 322. so; farmers institutes and sum-
mer school for boys, $40, 500: county
! auditors meeting, 81, 500; live stock
pavilion at Mitchell, $40, 21S. 40: sub
experiment stations, $40, 900; state fair
at Huron, 500, 600; national guard, $780,
900: experiment station at Highmore,
s., 5000: wolf bounty, SIS, 900; legislative
printing for two years, $40, 900; a con-
tingent appropriation for state capitol
building, 5000, 900; special appropriations
for buildings and betterments will
reach $500, 900 more.
1t is n conservative estimate tina the
appropriations which will be asked for
to cover the biennia period beginning
IulV 1907 will reach 60 S0O 0OO