The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-02-04
WILL TRIM UP CLERKS
Investigations Disclose That Many
of the Clerks can be Dispensed
With in Legislature.

NV 'NiO iiNt AAfAllN
of the Clerks can be Dispensed
With i'm Legislature.
Pierre, Jan. 2S.-Many members
have brought new legislative Lropo-
sitions back with them from the va
cation while many remained in the
city throughout the vacation to pre-
pare bills. Among the latter Senator
Dillon has given his attention to re-
forms in legislative economy and has
evolved measures which if passed
will save a good deal of expense in
legislative sessions. He has three
bills upon the subject, one of which
defines the officers of the senate and
house. The constitutional, elective
officers are of course left to each
house but the appointive clerical
force he transfers from the legisla-
tive control to the office of secretary
of state, who is to select such experts
in stenography and typewriting as
the nc"essities of the legislature may
requi making his choice wholly
upon ground of competency after
an examination in which the appli-
cants must exhibit a minimum of eff
cheney defined in the bill. He thinks
this method will ellminate all merely
ornamental clerks and provide all
that will be necessary for the dis
patch of business.
Another bill provides that all bills
shall be engrossed and enrolled in
record typewriting, provides further
for the identification of the sheets of
| fu~ ourritt0r Kill, 10 r,,nrJ n~n;,,4
forgery and other frauds. This work
by expert typewriters will greatly re-
duce the clerical force in the en-
crossing and enrolling department
and insure greater accuracy and legi-
bility. The third of the series cuts
out the long hand permanent journal
of the houses and makes the approv-
ed and corrected printed journal the
official record of the legislature. If
enacted the bills will save the state
a good many thousand dollars, in
each session.
Senator Amsden has also remained
at his desk and among other things
has worked out a bill making it a
m~isdemeanor for ar architect, or
superintendent of construction to &C
cept from any material man a COM
mission, fee or gift in consideration
of recommending any certain mater
ial for any structure upon which they
may be employed, and on the other
hand makes it unlawful for any ma
ion a commission fee or gift in con-
sideration of the recommendation Of
terial man to offer or give any archi-
tect or superintendent OF construct
their wares. 1t has become a COM
mon practice for architects and sup
e%rintendents Of little conscience or
principle to impose upon their pa
irons by these methods. The bill
too is intended to cut out any attempt
at graft in completing and furnish
ing the new capitol, and has the
hearty approval of Governor Vessey.
Chairman Gable of the House ap-
preparations committee has been a
hard worker throughout the vaca-
ton and has accumulated a vast
amount of information about the ne
cessities Of the several departments
of the state, at the same time he has
worked out several important bills
among which is a complete game
law, providing a state warden, with
county deputies, who are to be COM
pensated from a gun tax. Every resi-
dent hunter pays two dollars for a
license and non-residents twenty
five dollars. Neither salaries or eX-
penses shall be a charge upon the
state and if the claims upon the fund
exceed the volume of it the claims
each ear must be appropriated. The
open seasons are pretty much as at
present, except that spring shooting
is terminated at April L. Generally
the modelled is modelled after the
game commission bill of two years
ago. except hat the single warden
is substituted for the commission
formerly proposed.
Mr.. Cable also proposes a bill
creating the Hotel Inspector state
INSPECTOR of buildings without extra
compensation and requires him to
license all public halls. The license
fee of five dollars is paid into the
state treasury to defray expenses in
cident to inspection. Churches and
School houses for the accommoda-
ton of more than one hundred per-
not required to pay a fee. The bill
sets up certain rules for safety con-
struction which all new buildings
must conform to and old buildings
must be made to conform before
January 1, 1910. The state building
inspectator may condemn any pub
lie building which is unsafe or does
not conform and it is made an Of
Tense to use any public building with
out first obtaining the license. or un-
til it has been made safe as required
by the building inspector after it has
been condemned.
At the request of Gov. Vessey. Mr..
Gable has also prepared bills increas-
ing the penalties for procuring and
abducting young girls.
Many other members have worked
out legislative propositions with
much care which will show UP in the
early proceedings of the body.
AGAINST LIQUOR INTERESTS