Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-02-28


was upon the table whence bills are
not presumed to be removed. but after
reposing there for a week Carroll
called 1t up against the point of order
raised by Browne that q tabled bill Is
forever dead under the practices of
the lamented Tom Reed. The speaker
overruled the point and the bill was
raised, w%hereupon It's author, Mr.. Car.
roll. moved to amend It by striking
out everything but the number and
the enacting clause and substituting a
new title and a new body. 1t was then
passed. The new bill re-enacts the
maximum rate bill, which has been
upon the statutes for ten years, chang
Ing only the maximum for passenger
fares from 3 to 2h cents. Mr.. Glass
had previously introduced this bill AS
Fl. B. II. Browne and Price, who had
throughout opposed the 2-cent bill,
both spoke for the 2R-cent amend
ment and 1t prevailed unanimously.
Whether or not the senate will concur
In this amendment will be determined
shortly. Concurrence Is probable, as
Mr.. Glass stated In the house that the
conclusion had been reached that the
rate bill as 1t passed the senate pro.
viding for 2-cent mileage books was
nugatory and in contravention of the
decision OF the supreme court of the
United States In the Michigan case.
The maximum rate established by the
new bill seems to give general salts.
faction and the railroads are not like
ly to oppose It.
Good Roads Bill Killed.
The good roads bill went down to
defeat on Thursday after having been
amended to permit a referendum by
counties. The farmers would not give
up the idea that It was a movement in
the interest Of automobiling. The bill
taxed all city property for the benefit
Of country roads, but the inducement
was not sufficient to secure for it pass.
ing strength. 1t Is not, however, be
yond resurrection and 1t may be re-
considered. It lacks but two votes
Of passing strength. The friends Of
the measure have greatly desired to
get It passed In such shape that such
counties as desired to do so might put
II into operation Immediately and so
present some object lessons to the
next session.
Senator Byrne has given much at.
tention to insurance matters and has
introduced several Of the bills pre-
pared by the national organization Of
insurance commissioners growing out
Of the New York insurance scandals.
Two.of these bills have become laws;
one requiring the companies doing
business in this state to make an an.
nual accounting of surplus funds and
another providing for uniform life in.
surance policies. This latter provides
for the several standard forms of set
Element, but does not permit freak
propositions to be made which in the
ordinary experience of men cannot be
safely undertaken.
Two years ago an act vas promoted
to passage by Mr.. Parmley looking to
the parole Of worthy prisoners from
the state ~penitentiary. In practice
but one prisoner has been paroled
under it, as 1t has been found that it
does not apply to prisoners then In
the p~enitentiary, but only to those ad.
mitted since that date. A new bill
universal in application has been
passed, which will give relief to sew
eral prisoners whose conduct during
their confinement entities them to be
truSted with their liberty
Repeats "Honest Caucus Law"
BY an oversight the primary cleo,
ton law does not repeal the honest
caucus law" of two years ago and
Price of Yankton has introduced a sep
arate bill, which has passed the house,
repeating the measure. Browne, who
was speaker of the last house and a
member Of the stGlwart majority
which passed the caucus law, voted
against it's repeal, stating In explana.
tion of his vote that he had scriptural
authority for his action and quoted:
"He who provideth not for his own
family is worse than an infdel."
The uniform divorce bill introduced
early In the session has slept peace
fully in the senate committee on judic.
larry. Thursday Senators Goodner and
Dillon, from the judiciary, speaking to
personal privilege, read letters sent by
Hon. r. o. Richards of Huron, pres.
ident of the State Civic league, to con-
~stituents of the respective senators,
intimating pretty broadly they were
suppressing the report upon the di.
vorce bill and seeking assistance in
smoking 1t out. Both senators denied
vigorously that they were guilty and
explained why the bill was not earlier
reported. The bill came In with a
minority report against It's passage.
The sentiment Of the legislature ap-
~parently Is favorable to the passage Of
the bill.
Blow at the "oId soaks."
A bill Of vast import to local option
towns has passed by a close call. 1t
was introduced by MI. Cable In the
house and Larson in the senate and
prohibits druggists from filing a liq-
uor prescription a second time. 1t has
been the practice of the 'old soaks"
to get hold of a physicians prescrip-
ton and file it with a good natured
pharmacist, who would fill 1t as often
As the bottle was returned. 1t Is
hoped to break up the practice.
Following a pretty custom as old as
the state the Legislature met on Fri
day morning to celebrate the birth.
days of Lincoln and Washington joint
ly. Governor Crawford and President
Gault we're the speakers, each render
ing eloquent tributes to the great
cfofacmap