Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-12-17

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~onopolie The necessary
tiles in general use shall not be sold
at a less price in one community tina
in other communities in the state. The
measure was primarily aimed at the
retail lumber trust, which it is al
legged has been the most rapacious and
ruthless in its dealing of any of the
combinations operating in the north
western states. The action just decided
in favor of the state was Instituted
against the entral Lumber company
on the complaint of William Mitchell,
an independent dealer at Leola. The
attorney generals department held an
investigation, inspecting the books OF
the company and examining witnesses
in several towns in the vicinity of
Leola, and easily discovered that the
was Strengthening prices at
Leola with the intent to either force
Mitchell out of business or compel
Leola. Suit was brought to gust the
company from the state under the
new statute, which the at
tackled as unconstitutional. The only
other state possessing such a statute
is Nebraska. The Nebraska supreme
court sustained the law about one year
ago. On accoun of the large inter-
ests at stake the present case will no
doubt be appealed to the United States
supreme court. If the measure can be
sustained as constitutional there is no
reason why congress should not pass
such an act for corporations dealing
in interstate commerce.. This would APP
parently be a far more effective meth
Cd of preventing mononoly than the
Sherman act.
The report of the state auditor
hows that the counties of tn: state
are in very good shape financially gem
orally. A few counties are pretty
deeply in debt, but most of them are
getting out from under. The report
shows that 80 counties of the state
have no bonded debt. Out of this list
Is have warrants outstanding for less
than $1,000 each, some Of them be-
low 500, Indicating that all their
debt is in the way of warrants which
have not been presented for payment,
and that they are on a strictly cash
basis. Twenty-Five counties are carry
ing bonded indebtedness, running
from $4,000 for Buffalo county, up to
over $4,000 900 for Lawrence. While
Lyman and Gregory countie show nc
bonded debt, both are carrying heavy
warrant debts, and would be saving
money by lower interest bonds. The
report also shows that the delinquent
state taxes are growing, having in
creased $4,000 the past year, the to.
tai of this amounton the first of July
being $592,672. over so per cent OF
this car never be collected and SHOULD
be cut off the tax rolls as soon a.
a legal method can be provided FOL
getting them out Of the way.
The bee inspection act is another O.
those passed at the last Legislative,
session which appears to be very am,
bisuous in its wording. The law pro
vides for a state bee inspector, am
the same was appointed by the gov
ernor. 1t also provides for an annua
:. tax of ten cents a colony on all bee;
owned on the first of May of eacl
year, for the carrying out of the pro
~ SAA> NN'' oStiA Us ~
have collected this annual tax, an,
now ask the state auditor what dis
posaI to make of it, as the law doe
not state what shall be done with i
after it is collected. The auditors de
partment holds that while the in
spector must look to the state for hi
pay, and the law say the money col
lected shall be for the carrying out o
the provisions of the act, the sam
should be forwarded to the state treas
urer for the payment of the salar
warrants of the bee inspector. Will
Whole matter may be open to cour
Interpretation the holding of the aud
itor ooks like n which ought t
stand under present existing condi
: tons.
F. The state board of corrections wi.
meet in a few days to fix the price @
, prison Irvine for next year. They wi.
!, kalso at an early date decide in regar
:. to a renewal of their contract 70
keeping the prison shirt factory in op
Grafton. on this contract, which Wi
soon expire, the state gets but So cent
/, a dozen, and owns the plant. Go,
Wesley does not believe the cOntraC
price is high enough to save tn
!. state" on the matter of operation. an
: is securing data to back his position
!. Under the present state laws a par
of the earnings of the ~convicts' ar
paid to their families, and with thi
out. and the expenses Of maintenance
of the plant, he thinks the state shout
receive a higher price. He is maxim
/ an effort to secure a change in tn
. terms of the contract before it is re
5 neWed.
Figures which nave Just been com
piled and made public show that tn
banks in the towns of Bristol, Wat
bay. Langford. Andover. Bradlye an
0 Pierpont have aggregate deposits {
n more than s1.463,OoO, which is
great increase over the deposits in til
banks of the six towns a year ag,
This proves that the smaller towns {
u I 49,