The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-03-08
WORK or 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-
i lutions introduced and of that num-
ber fifty-one have been filed with the,
secretary of state after passage and
signature by the governor. Among the
more important of these measures are
of course the administration bills which
| are:
A comprehensive primary election
| law, passed With an emergency clause,
and now effective.
| A demurrage law providing for a rate
of demurrage to be paid by a company
not furnishing cars within given time
after being ordered by the shipper and
applying also against the shipper for
failure 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
in 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, manufacturer or common carrier
liable for the act of the employe wheth-
er 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 rest Of eight hours before they
can be again called into service.
OF General Importance.
Other laws OF general Importance
are:
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 in case settlement is
not made in sixty days.
Prohibiting parallel lines of railway
within eight miles for longer distance
| than g.. milc!s. to protect South Da-
kota Central railroad.
Providing for parole of inmates OF
reform schools.
| A drainage law to be operated in the
interest of the public health.
The other measures passed are tech
nical, sectional in their application. or
specific as to the correction of defects
in present law
Tho Resolutions
Among the resolutions was the one
for the formation Of the investigating
committee which has not yet completed
its labors and will be in readiness to
receive the Washington delegation
week from today. The most important
of the resolutions proposes constitu-
tional amendment dealing with the sub
| ject Of revenue and taxation, proposes
tax upon gross earnings of common
carriers and other public corporations
and an Inheritance tax.
To Be Acted on Vet
The more important measures yet to
be acted upon are:
The general educational bill.
The divorce law.
The general and special appropria-
tions.
The 21g cent rate bill. which having
passed the house. is now being consd-
cred in the senate.
| The bill providing for an expert COM
mission to determine the valuation Of
railroads and report to the railway
commission.
|
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 $531, 200 for
the years l901-S and $2Sl 200 for the sue
ceedinS year.
| The board of charities and corrections
asks for maintenance a total lump sum
Of 1851 500 for 1907-S and 1927, 900 for the
succeeding year,
OF the miscellaneous approximations
there is the soldiers home asking for
SlO2, ,322.5o; farmers Institutes and sum
mer school for boys, s195Oo: county
auditors meeting, $780, live stock
pavilion at Mitchell, sl0.2lS4O: sub
experiment stations, $4,000; state fair
| at Huron. 100000; national guard, $50
| BOO; experiment station at Highmore
$4,000 wolf bounty. S15, 900; legislative
printing for two years. $4O,GOO a corr
| tlngent appropriation for state capitol
building. 100000; special appropriations
| for buildings and betterments will
reach 100000 more
1T is conservative estimate that the
appropriations which will be asked for
to cover the biennial period beginning
July /, 1907, will reach $500, 900.
|