Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1907-03-14

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tons, and placing them under more
stringent legal control.
The work Of the session will stand
put probably for years to come, as
The session which took more advanced
grounds than any other Legislative
session ever held in the state in re
gard to reform laws. Even the Popn
list legislature did not approach it in
the advanced ground taken, and the
IPopulist legislators were looked upon
as revolutionary in their day
First In this line is railway legisla
ton. the bills passed in that line be.
ling to reduce railway passenger rates
to two and half cents mile under
j order of the railway commission; au.
thorizing the commission to investi
gate the conditions in the state with
the assistance of expert assistance,
and secure the actual value of the
roads in the state, on which to base
a new scale of freight and passenger
rates; preventing the paralleling of
railways within eight miles. unless
l Oy NOtiSGut III INC railway
sion; limiting the working hours of
railway employees; requiring connect
ing tracks TO be put In at junction
| points Of railroads: providing for
| collection of double damages from
railways in case of loss of live stock
from accidents on the track, where
! the company refuses TO settle out of
court, the same provisions for loss
from fires set by carelessness of rail
way employees; providing for taxation
Of railway. property other than mile-
age. and the anti-pass law These
last two apply to telegraphs. tele-
phones. express and sleeping car COM
panies as we'll as to railroads.
The anti-lobby law also has aimed
as much at the railways as at any 9TH
er proposition. as they have been
looked upon as the most active in
that line OF work.
State to Control Telephones.
The telephones have been placed
under control of the railway commits
sion through one bill. and under con-
troll of state telephone commission
oy another measure, which provides
for commission to be composed of
state officers and a competent tele-
phone man. but as the senate has re.
used to pass the bill providing for the
salary OF the telephone man on the
commission. that law likely will not
Be effective for the present.
The political laws passed have beer
the prilsary election bill; bill to re-
luire candidates for Office to file cleo
ton expense accounts with the proper
,fficials. and a measure prohibiting
campaign contributions from corpora
Iions
In the lines OF legislation regarding
morals, the saloon question was at
the lead. the referendum being in
soked tp bring about q vote on county
ocal option, and laws being enacted
% prevent the establishment OF sa-
Don within 400 feet of g. church or
school: to prevent saloons within
,ne-third of mile Of any university
,r academy; allowing city councils
70 establish saloon limits, and pre-
venting more than one saloon to 800
inhabitants In town. Other bills ID
that line are to prevent Sunday thea
/, ters, or games and sports on Sunday
where an admission fee is charged:
TO prevent gambling. making the act
misdemcanor, and making the own
| ar OF place where gambling is car
ried on legally liable for any losses
sustained.
Galveston Plan Adopted.
Among the general Bills Of impcr.
lance are the one providing for con
troll Of cities BY commission under
what Is known as the Galveston plan !:
the educational bill, which ii com.
Dlete revision OF the educational
laws, prepared By commission an.
pointed BY Gov. EIrod for that pur.
pose; and the divorce bill, which il
expected 70 wipe ont the divorce colo.
MES which have been located IN the
state ever since its organization.
Many other bills 0f general local in,
pOrtance have been@ enacted. over la
new laws being added, many of them
passed - emergency measures, and
n eject at the present time.
AZ the same time bills which we're
considered important have been a.
feated. among them j road law yin
ms out road labor and requiring III
f0nd favna - - - u T. 5..s Il, !.