The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-03-11
FOL covers the excess Of the presen,


tol covers the excess Of the present
year.
Banks and Banking.
Perhaps the one topic of creates.
interest in the campaign and before
tn" legislature. aside IRON ~finanCiai
matters. was the proposition 10 insure
bank deposits. This vas a platform
plank and consequently the lesis'ature
reluctantly considered it. The bll?
adopted vas a modification ~ the
proposition introduced by Isscnhuth o.
Sp'nk and provides that not less thar
100 banks. having 81 900, 900 in capi.
tai. may voluntary associate for the
insurance OF their deposits. An adnis.
sion fee, graduated from 500 upward.
is TO be paid ard a policy fee or pre-.
MUM of > mills on the dollar OF av.
erage deposits. In case OF losses ex.
ceding the funds on hand each bank
in the association may be assessed 70
Eot exceed 4 mills upon its average
deposits.
!" his annual report the public ~
amincr made many suggestions for in.
proVemcEts in the banking Law. The
parhimg committee OF the senat re
uor'cd 2 bill %embudyiuS practically
al 81 his suggestions and ii Was
passcd.
Railroad Legislation.
About forty bills were introduced
into the legislature pertaining 10 the
regulation OF railroads and the FOL
lowing We're enacted into law. Pri
ndIily most Of these bills were very
al bitrarY in form, requiring the rail.
road companies to do certain things
under penalties, but with the rNCep.
tiOn Of IL" 2-cent rate bill all Wer"
modified 70 empower the railroad com
mission. IN its discretion. TO do The
things il desired. These bills were:
The 2-y"lt rate bill: requirins trans.
fer tra'ks between connecting lines
requiring r"pcrts of ali wrecks AND
cagn: ties to the railroad commits.
sionerS. providing for building via
ducts over street crossings: providing
penalty for failure TO repay over
charge Oh freight within sixty days
providing for determining the rental
value of warehouse sites. requiring
railroads to install safety appliances
at railroad crossings and draw
bridges; requiring switch lights to be
kept burning all night at each station !.
requiring toilet rooms TO be provided
at all stations; requiring the fencing
of the right of way; requiring water
ing trousns to De provided at all stock
yards; authorizing the railroad com
m~issioncrs TO prosecute actions before
the interstate IN commission
prohibiting gambling and tine drinking
of intoXicantS upon trains.
Insurance.
Last year there was a good deal a.
Criticis!. upon the methods pursued
by some insurance companies in sell.
ing bargain counter insurance and
Governor IeSsey came to Pierre de-
termined upon securing Legislation
that would regulate these matters.
Senator Ryrne took charge Of the ad'
ministratiOn insurance measures and
secured the passage OF bills prescrih
ing standard forms of fire insuranc.
policies: standard form of life poll
cies and standard form of stock in
surance policies and also ~reOrganiZing
the state insurance department and
giving to it ample power TO protect
the public against wild cat" insur
ance of any kind.
Other insurance bills require state
mutual companies to keep on hand a
% per cent reinsurance reserve; limi,
the liability of insurers in mutual ON
penies &c the amount of unpaid poll
cies: regulate fidelity bond insurance:
prohibit accident insurance companies
from giving presents of merchandise
with their policies and prescribe the
duties of secretaries of county mutual
companies.
Economy in state Affairs.
There has been much proper crit
icism OF unnecessary waste in public
printing and in the expense of legis,
lative sessions. Printers have done
the work cheap enough, but public OF
ficers have made up their reports
without any system or regulation and
generally speaking, it has been con
sidered lhat The officer who coulC
print the most stuff was the best fei
low. Chairman Gable of the house al
pro priations committee took vigorous
mold of this subject and secured the
passage of a number of bills. know
rs the Gable bills. which seek TO limi-
the expenditure for public printing
and ;or general economy In state af
fairs. These bills provide that no of
ficer OF board shall create a deficiency
for any purpose whatever without the
written consent of the governor: an
other requires strict termination of ev
cry voucher upon which money j.
paid: q third requires the auditor, ir
his biennial report. to publish the
items in every voucher upon which a
warrant is issued md still another
FIXES a definite limit upon the number
of pages of printed matter which may
be contained in each report.
Senator Dillon took up the matter
Of Legislative expenses and in three