Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1909-02-18
GOOD ROADS
BILL PASSES
Goes Through State Senate ~
Large Majority.
lNER2IATE ASYLUM APPROVED

MER2lATE ASYLUM APPROVED
Measure Locating Institution at High
more Passes the Upper House--Ap-
Causes Lively Dlscussion-Number
Of Laws Affecting Railroads Adopted
in One Branch or the Other.
Pierre, Feb. 15-The week has seen
s.N eral very important measures
passed IN one house or the other, but
few sucn measures have become law.
The good roads bill is out of the sen
ate with very large majority: in
fact only four votes We're recorded
against it. 1t provides all taxes must
be paid in cash and the work done
upon contract 1t is not so complete
as the Whiting bill, but if it becomes
law it will be step in the right di
rcction A second good roads bill
also has passed the senate, which ir
effect gives county commissioners jul
riSdicti0n over townline roads. 1t is
by .ockhart of Deuel. and will have a
good effect in keeping up roads about
which there is always divided respon-
sibility and generally more or less
Indifference.
X !. :.
Senator Ewert's bill locating an in
sbriate asylum at Highmore and pro
vidng funds for it's construction and
support by an addition of $50 to Lhe
license fee Of every saloon has passed
the senate and will be favorably re-
ported to the house. There is good
prospect of its passage. Governor
Vessey is strongly for it, advocated 1t
In his message and the strong tenn
perance procliVitias of the house
.nake it likely it will so through.
= !. r
There was as always, a pretty tilt
in the house over the bird bill Moo
die of Lawrence opened up the sub
ject by bill to include the Canadian
jay, or whisky jack. In the list OF
birds not protected. The friends of
breach and tried to get protection for
their pestiverous little friends and
made the wekin ring with their ap-
peals The pernicious activity OF
their clients however, had turned too
many members "agin him" and he
was left out TO shift for himself APP
parently he is making rather pros
porous shift of it.
+ = !.
In the way of railroad legislation
Senator Thoreson's bill empowering
the railroad commission to intervene
and prosecute cases begun by citizens
OF the state against railroad COM
panies before the interstate commerce
commission has passed the senate. 1t
relieves the citizen from making a
fight at his own expense which is In
reality for the public benefit, as all
such proceedings must be.
The house has passed Thoreson S
bill requiring railroads to report to
the railroad commission the number
and capacity of all elevators upon
their respective lines and the amount
Of ground rental paid by each 1t is
believed independent buyers are dis
criminated against in the matter OF
ground rent and this is move to
correct the inequality.
The Ewert bill requiring railroads
to equip their passenger engines with
electric headlights has passed both
houses. The 2-cent bill itself did not
create so much discussion and inter
est. There have been delegations
here from the Brotherhood of Locomo
tive Engineers all winter lobbying fol
and against the bill The young en-
sineers are all for the measure ant
the old timers against it. The debat'
In the house brought out the mos
vivid remarks of the session.
!. !. 4
The appropriations for public print
Ing arc through the house and caused
O good deal OF feeling. The cost 0
this item is constantly increasing an
members cannot understand 1t, a
though every session adds largely t
the number of reports to be printeC
There Is no more perplexing probler
IN government than to secure the net
essary publicity Of the doings of 1t
departments at the minimum of cos
1t requires about $25, 900 annually
print the reports and 90 the legisl'
tive printing The general printin
bill of two years ago carried onl
S3i 600 and the entire cost OF tn
printing reached $4,000, but this i
cluded SO 5000 for the constitutional d
bates which will be refunded to ii
treasury as the books are sold. I'll
bill this year carries $4,000 and
was necessary to pass deficiency b
of $4,000 for the failure to provi,