Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1909-02-11
LEGISLATIVE DOINGS.
CONTINUED from page y

There has not been much excite
ment during the present session
until Wednesday when the governor
affixed his signature to the two cent
rate bill and it became law, as it
carries the emergency clause. Before
the ink upon the paper was hardly
dry representative OF the state
had called upon the Pierre agent OF
the Chicago and Northwestern COM
pany-and demanded tickets-at
the new two cent rate-which, were
of course, refused, and papers
were at once served in mandamus
proceedings-an original action start
ed in the state supreme court-to
compel the company to accept the
rate or appear and show cause on or
before March 3, 1909, why the court
should not compel the company to
comply with the rate. Like actions
were also commenced against all
other railroad companies doing bust
ness in the state there being twelve
cases in ali. While the attorney was
busy in the state courts with his
legal methods, the railroad compan-
les were also taking legal steps and
almost as soon as the governor had
signed the bill the attorneys for the
various railroads at Sioux Falls
were informed OF his action and an
application was made in the United
States court at Sioux Falls for a
temporary injunction restraining the
state authorities from putting the
rate into effect and Judge Garland
issued the injunction. So the mat
ter will now be threshed out COM
pletely in the courts. No one can
tell what the outcome of the court
proceedings will be, bat it seems to
be the concensus of opinion of the
best posted men of the state whom
we have met here that neither the
state nor the federal courts will
decide with the state that two cent
rate will bring the railroad com.
panies just and fair return for the
money invested and what is neces-
sary for running expenses OF the
roads, and all seem to think that the
legislature made serious mistake
going below y cent rate.
One OF the members Of the legis.
lature remarked the great activity
Of Commissioner Wheaton and his
deputies ia the interest OF certain
pure food measures and also noted
the vast amount Of reading matter
which was being sent to members
from the food aud dairy commits
sioner Iavcring certain bills aud
depreciating others and he said he
believed it would soon be necessary
10 make another deficiency appro-
priation to meet the expenses Of the
food and dairy department for post
ing the legislature on how to grant
boost in the appropriation for that
department, and further suggested
that appearances would indicate that
the commissioner must have per.
sonal interest in the matter.
The representations Of the state
commercial clubs have been busy
the past week with the bill for an
immigration bureau and Judging
from the sentiment expressed at the
committee meetings and by the gov
ernor il seems that these gentlemen
have been quite successful SO far in
impressing the,needs Of such q state
department upon those thus far seen
From the encouragement received thu
representatives OF the clubs have
began to feel that they will be sue
oessful IN securing at least a piece o
: loaf a. this session with much
larger appropriation than was at FRS
looked for By those laboring here
Nenr]y al the members seemed 4
have become alive to the necessity 9
~ skste advertising its resources,
Judging from present indication
X seems almost certain that Soutl
Dakota will soon have tuberculosis
coni(nrium. The bill has alread,'
nerred the bouss and there h n
po~iIion manifested ID the senate
7fS conersllY ioooeeded that q
bst W. nm P'ngrs
rkors ksvs ~ - many bill
- ~ luoo8 q ~ eeeolon oP g q