The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-12-24
MORE THAN STATE CAN GIVE.
South Dakota Institutions Make Esti-
mate Of Needs Aggregating $1,000

mate Of Needs Agsregatins $1,000.
900.
Deep disappointment is coming for
Nthe heads of most of the state insti-
Ktutions at the coming legislative
session Their aggregate demand
upon the state treasury will be for a
million dollars for new buildings at
the different institutions. In the last
campaign, the heavy appropriations
of the last session were defended on
the ground that it was necessary to
provide new buildings for the many
state institutions, and that they had
now been fitted out with buildings
which would meet their demands for
several years. But the heads of the in
situations think differently. They want
more and want them now. The state
university thinks it could get along
for two years more if they were given
$345,00 for that purpose; the agricul-
tural college at Brookings will lie sat
isfied with 1885, 900; and the asylum
for feeble-minded at Redfeld wants
fA 1927, 900 more. The rest of them are
willing to get along with from
nj $780, coo down to smaller sums, but
all want something.
This total does not include any
thing for the completion of the work
81 the state capitol. The commission
d yill ask for approximately 100000
Efor that work. They claim that as
Htheir building is under construction,
and is absolutely needed, their
kclaims should hold the first position
4 Sfore any other new buildings are
commenced. Further, their appropri-
4 alton will come back to the state in
cash as soOn as it is advisable to
place the rest of the state building
lands on the market.
The bulk Of what land remains is
so far from rail facilities that to at
tempt to sell at the present would
mean a great sacrifice, but in a few
years the lands would return the ap-
preparations with interest. They will
ash for a continuance of the 5000, 900
appropriation of two years ago, which
has not been drawn upon; for the
issuance of $780, 900 building bonds
for ten years, and for authority to ex-
pend $4,000 more from the sale Of
lands; and this they estimate will
complete the building; furnish it,
and fit up the grounds. They have
expended $293,195 to date on the
work, and have about $4,000 yet
available in the way of mortgages and
deferred payments, and have disposed
of all the lands east of the Missouri
river.
The farmers of the legislature have
always in the past opposed any at
tempts to change the assessment laws
of the state to n radical extent,
claiming satisfaction with the old way.
But at the coming session they will
be asked to get into line with other
states in a law for a state tax COM
mission, to give attention to that
proposition, instead of allowing the
work to go on under present loose and
old-fashioned methods. The present
system is cumbersome, and needs
changes to get effective results, but
whether it can be secured, in the view
of past efforts in that direction, is a
problem.
Pure Food Commissioner A. H.
Wheaton came to a fall in his effort
10 compel patent medicine manufac-
Hurers to print formulas Of their
preparations on their bottles and
packages, but is alleged to be ready
to come to the session with an
amendment to the pure food bill to
specifically insert within it, what he
\ thought it contained before, but
(which he could not get the courts to
Believe.
After a fight of years the valued
policy insurance law was enacted for
this state four years ago, and the in
surance men will be here with a re-
quest that it be taken from the stat
ute books by the coming session.
They have always fought that pro-
vision, and probably always will.
With the supreme court nearly two
hundred and fifty cases behind their
calendar, the move to increase the
membership of the bench to five, in
stead of the present number of three,
will likely go through with little op-
position, in case the redistricting is
on a satisfactory basis.
Both political parties pledged them
selves to two-cent fares in the state
in their party platforms. Bills to car
ry out the pledges will without doubt
be presented. What their fate will
be is another thing. With a suit
pending in court to prevent the put
ting into effect a two and a half cent
rate by the railway commission, and
with the work of physical valuation
of roads of the state for the purpose
of assessment and rate making, only
partly completed, the opponents of
any such legislation will nave plenty |
of material to work upon.
Black Hills members will ask for
strict regulations for deer hunting in
their part of the state, with severe
penalties for the killing of anything
except antlered bucks. 1t is claimed
that 80 per cent of the kill In the
Hills this year was of does and
fawns, and this they want stopped.
Several theories in regard to the
state laws will be aired, but their fate
will depend largely upon what they
contain when they get into he open.
While there will be the usual grist /