Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1909-02-11
LEGISLATIVE DO|NGS!

AS the session drags along ~
becomes more and more evident that
Crawford did his successor great
injustice by not compelling the state
to levy the full amount of the tax
provided by law during his two years
incumbrencv of the Office of governor
in order to partly meet the expenses
OF his the most expensive-admin-
istration that the state has ever
known. Each checking up of the
states funds-or rather lack OF
funds-shows an increase in the
deficit in the state treasury until
now South Dakota is confronted
with $4,000 of outstanding war
rants drawing from five to seven
per cent interest. OF course, our
progressive brothers will tell us that
the March call for state taxes will
reduce this materially, in fact some
of them, many Of them, who are not
allowed the inside knowledge of the
Crawford management, believe that
the March and June calls will prac-
tically wipe out the rest of outstand
ing warrants. But this is not SO.
1t is clearly evident to those who are
we'll acquainted with the conditions
OF the states finances, that after all
the money is collected and paid out
and that the close of the fiscal year
will find the state with about mil
lion dollars of registered warrants
outstanding. This gleat increase is
not only due to the fact that there
was not sufficient levy made to
meet the increased expenses caused
by the new offices created under
Ora wford, but in larger way to the
loose manner in which the state
offices and institutions were per-
mitted to run during that term.
Many of them, in fact nearly all of
them, are appearing before the pres
ent legislature with bills for dsfici-
ency appropriations for money spent
beyond their appropriations and for
Improvements not authorized by law
but merely made to boost that
administration in the communities
where state institutions are located
There was determination here for
while not to pay these unauthor-
lied bills but that seems to have
given away to the idea that it is
better to pay them without lawsuit
than after great deal of legal
expense had been piled up in addi-
tion to the bills as they now stand.
There is one thing that is very pat
ent now to progressives as well as
stalwarts and that is that Mr.. Craw-
ford's election has indirectly cost the
state barrel of money.
Among the many things which are
rumored to have Deen paid for out
of Superintendent Ustrud's reading
circle fund are an automobile, an $50
kodak, lumber bill and pair of
overalls. A wag said, the other day,
that all were necessary expenses:
"The automobile to visit the school
houses, the kodak to take pictures of
the school maams, the lumber to
build garage to house the auto
mobile, and the overalls to protect
the superintendent clothes while he
was acting as Chauffeur on the auto
mobile" South Dakota is great
state but much greater is the reform
administration. There is persist
emit rumor that Mr.. Ustrud will be
called upon to explain some of these
matters to the present session, but
wedoubt it.
During the past week Pierre has
finished another of its artesian wells.
This has been quite an attraction for
members of the legislature and other
visitors in the city who have visited
it in large numbers to see the gas
below on the water as it leaves the
WELL This makes seven wells now
complete in the city which supply
the city with its entire supply OF
natural gas for light, power and
heat Making wonderful source
Of revenue.
The bill providing for the nine
o'clock closing Of the saloons met