Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-04-10


The supreme court, in a decision by
Judge Fuller. settled the question as
to the validity Of a ballot without the
small square before each name or
proposition in which to max q cross
for an expression of choice on the part
Of the voter. The case came down
from Day county, and was the result
Of the fight for liquor license at that
place last year.
The license people won in the cleo
ton and Gibson, representing the an
ti-license forces, applied to the circuit
court for a writ Of prohibition to pre-
vent the mayor and councilmen from
granting licenses on the vote, for the
reason that the ballots while in regu-
lar form otherwise, failed to have be-
fore he words yes and INC" a small
square in which to make h cross
which designated the choice of the
voter. The representatives of the city
demurred to the application and the
mur was sustained on their con-
tentionN Of no grounds for action. An
appeal was taken to the supreme court
which has affirmed the lower court,
holding that there Is no specific sta
tute requiring the square to be placed
in front of the words, and that the Will
Of a majority of the voters was plain
ly expressed by their markings with
out that indication of the place to
mark.
The report of the comptroller Of the
currency for the call of condition Oh
national banks in South Dakota for
the Bird of December last shows thar
the financial furry which was distress
ing the country the latter part OF last
year did not effect the banks OF this
state. From the time of the call In
August to that of the December call,
when the conditions were the worst.
the individual deposits in the national
banks of the state increased $702,S43.
The national banks showed a net in
crease of s2,730,401 from January to
December Of last year making a
showing OF $20,92S,322 in December
of last year. The state banks no
doubt did their share in increasing
the bank deposits of the state for the
year, and the total would make a good
showing.
The state lands board has decided to
offer all the remaining state capitol
lands east of the river for sale to the
highest bidder or bidders. There Will
/ be no auction in the counties in which
the lands are situated, but the sales
will be made at the office of the state
land commissioner after due adver-
tisement. Bids will be accepted for
all which remains or for any specific
tract. About 5000 acres Of h state
capitol lands emain unsold east Of the
! Missouri river, being located in the
80 yI,-I1 ISn111I q ND pnttar
All Of the other lands east of the river
; have been disposed of within the past
year.
! The last legislative session in a.
printing bill required all printing for
/! state officers and boards to be let by
| bid. Six months working under the
| law does not appear to have been sat
isfactory, as the advertising for bids
for a small job of stationery was al
most equal tosthe cost of the work
after it was secured on the bids. On
these grounds the state printing COM
mission at a recent session decided to
ignore the provisions Of the law. Ad-
vertisements are being sent out for
bids on all state reports and other
state printing, the bids to be opened
on the 25th Of June.
r. So
over half Of the counties Of the
state were represented in the conven-
ton Of county auditors recently held
in this city. The rates Of assessment
Of real estate and other matters were,
discussed at this meeting and an
equitable distribution of assessments
was endeavored to be fixed on all
properties.
sH-EE u
On the 10Th of April the government
! will offer for lease over 100000 acres
Of Sioux Indian land for pasturage
purposes, the leases to be for pastures
S, 6, Z and 8 on the Cheyenne river
| Indian reservation. These pastures
would look rather large to the average
| eastern farmer, as they run from 214,-
900 acres up to 371,000 acres in size.
The Royal Mutual Life Insurance
company Of Des Moines, Ia, and the
| State Life Insurance company of In
dianapolis, Ind, ave notified the state
| Insurance department hat they will
not take out licenses for South Dakota
for this year and will withdraw from
the state.
Gov. Crawford has been selected BY
the state capitol commission as a COM
mittee Of one to secure the speaker
and otherwise provide for the proper
ceremonies of the laying Of the cor
nerstones of the new capitol which will
take place sometime about the hrst o.
May.
Governor Crawford has issued ms
Arbor day proclamation, fixing Friday
April "a, as the date and declaring II
to be a legal holiday.
Governor Crawford has granted a
pardon to D.. A. Frisbie, of Fall, who
was sentenced from Pennington coun-
ty to ten months Imprisonment on a
larceny charge.
There are, altogether, foreign and ma
tive, 25, 100 persons that are actively en-.
saged in bringing the gospel to India,
while ten years ago there were only 49,
l8o1a gain of nearly 60 per cent.