Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-02-28
MOVES MORE RAPIDLY
LEGISLATIVE MACHINE TURNING
OUT MANY NEW LAWS.

Determine the Actual Value Of Rail-
way Lines Passes tho 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-ive days of actual
work. Therefore 1t Is necessary to
consider and enact about five bills per
day. As the renowned Monaghan
ased to say: That's heepin' Jestice
or the jump"
Naturally at this late period In the
session the wheels are turning pretty
rapidly and 1t Ia not surprising that
some not very well digested bills slip
through. However, the members are
wary and II they do o thoroughly
understand a proposition are pretty
likely to hit It hard. So 1t is that the
good roads bill. a really m]eritorious
measure, is having hard shedding and
II 1t Is not killed will have the virtue
amended put OF It, while the negoti.
able instruments bill has already SUI
tered an untimely end.
X 10 dawning upon many minds that
Il u poor economy to thus rush legis-
Ation and several plans for more de-
uberate action. without increasing the
cost, have been proposed.
One Members Novel Suggestion.
Mr.. Larson. q particularly thought
ful 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 q full year for the peo-
pie to consider proposed legislation
with the formulated bills before them.
. plan that presents many desirable
features.
The educational code was the spe-
oial order on Tuesday and occupied
the entire day In the house. 1t was
passed with but n material altera-
ton 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 so
graduated as to induce teachers to
make an effort to qualify themselves
for the work, was, after a long discus
sion headed by Larson and CLANCY,
stricken out.
Fight on High School Law.
Four years ago Carroll secured the
enactment Of a law providing that
country districts should pay the tut
ton of any child who had successfully
passed the eighth grade examination
In some high school. the intent of the
hill being that q free high school
course should be open to every child
In the state. The law has worked ad-
mirably. It has inspired youngsters
In very many districts to make the
effort to get an education, but some
districts have paid the tuition most
grudgingly. In the last two sessions
there has been an effort to repeal the
provision. The new code embodied
this provision and Ranum made a
strong attempt to strike 1t out. He
made a long and excellent address for
his position. In reply Hebal gave ex-
preston to the choicest epigram of
the session. He said: There is no
tax l pay so willingly as the school
tax. l would rather pay s. for the
port of penitentiaries." Ranum's
amendment was lost.
One of the important measures
which has become a law the past week
10 Glass bill requiring a railroad com
pany planning to build a parallel line
to secure permission from the railroad
commission. While competing lines
are generally desirable there are in
stances when the contrary is true. BY
paralleling a weak line a strong n
frequently kills competition. This Is
what the Milwaukee has undertaken
to do In the case Of the South Dakota
Central. The Glass bill Is intended to
protect this little line from destruc-
tive competition.
Actual Value Of Railroads.
Possibly the most important bill of
all that has been before the legisla-
ture passed the house Friday. 1t en-
powers the railroad commission tt
employ experts to determine the ac-
tual value Of the several railroad lines
In money as a basis for rate adjust.
msnt. Until the actual value of the
railroad plant Is known no intelligent
action can be taken looking to the
establishment Of equitable rates. Mr.
Glass made his best speech for this
measure.
Glass, by the way, introduced the
nrst antilobby law which appeared In
the West into the legislature of 1897,
when it was indefinitely postponed.
He has taken some pride recently
since his new bill became a law in
digging up the old battle SCARED vet
eran of ten years age and fling 1t in
the archives of the Historical society.
II differs but little from the present
law.
The hotel inspection bill is a law.
The travelling men demanded the
pleasure and there Is no doubt that it
will be greatly conducive to the safety
and comfort of those who make their
homes in hotels. The burden Is borne
by the hotels and is so light that IL
will not be felt by any one Of them.
Its provisions are directed towards
49, a. ---A----