The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-08-25
MUST PR|NTITEMS
STATE AUDITORS REPORT WILL
HEREAFTER SHOW EVERY
ITEM OF EXPENSE
BALLOT is NOT ALL GREEK
a northumberland Twenty Square
Inch Ballot Need Not Alright
Voters if Approached
With Caution
BY DOANE ROBINSON.

BY DOANE ROBINSON.
Pierre-The first report of the stat
auditor, under the new law requiring
every item Of every voucher to be
printd at large, is now in the hand
Of the printer. The report will make
a document of more than 800 pages
and, for the first time, the public will
have a convenient mean of knowing
precisely how every penny Of state
funds is expended. Hitherto this CollC
be ascertained only by an examination
Of the vouchers filed in the state au-
ditor's office. The new plan is causing
some perturbation among some Off
Gals, who declare they were not in
formed that their vouchers were to be
printed. That it's result will be gen
orally salutary cannot be doubted, for
even honest men will scrutinile the
vouchers they file for publication with
greater care, and there will be fewe"
careless and improvident expenditures.
Officials, too, will be exposed to un
just criticism from those unqualified
TO determine the necessities of eX-
penditures, and a new personal ele-
msnt is certain to be introduced into
succeeding political campaigns.
There is q good deal OF criticism Of
the referendum ballot to be vGted at
the coming election. Six laws are up
for approval, and they make the bal
lot six feet long and ten inches wide.
In fact, the arrangement of the laws
upon the ballot is the best that can
be devised and one least likely to lead
the voter into error. Each act stands
by itself under a proper heading, the
lines of it running clear across the
ballot, so that one could scar ely b.
misled into voting for the wrCns act,
as was the case with the former bal
lot voted two years ago. The .egis-
lature spent much time in devils ng
a form that would be clear and COM
prehendable. The great length of the
ballot is chiefly due to the fact that
the military code was referendJmed,
and has to be printed in its entirety
upon the ballot.
The forest service Is meeting with
excellent results in the Black Hills in
its efforts to rcforest the cut-oyer and
burned-over lands. The plan pursued
is the simple one Of sowing pine seeds
broadcast at the rate of about eight
pounds to the acre. The birds and
KopherS get away with a big per-
centaxe of the seed 50 sown, hut
enough is saved so that a fine growth
Of young pine is secured wherever the
seed has been own 1t is a mistake
to suppose that forest fires in the
Hills destroy all of the timber in the
sections burned, or even a consider
able portion Of It. Very small trees
are killed, but 1t is really astonishing
to see how much burning a pine for
est will endure without material in
Jury. In fact, the law of health which
governs a pine tree is pretty hard to
determine. A tree will come through
a dozen big fires with its trunk only
charred and live on for generations,
but some camper comes along and
drives a shingle nail into it and 1t
dies.
The success of James Holding Eagle
of the Mandans Is another illustration
of a view often urged OF the superior
results of the work OF the denomina-
tional school among the Indians. 1t
may be too strong a statement to say
that all Indians who have made good
In civilized ways came out OF the de-
nomipationsl schools, but II is true
that very many of the successful red
men were SO educated. Mr.. Eagle II q
~graduste of the Congregational Norm
n at Ssntes, Nes., an institution
whose foundations were laid by Al
fred Riggs Of the Minnesota Mission
airy family Dol after the outbreak in
1882. When the Minnesota Santees
were bsnished to the Missouri, Mr..
Rigs accompanied them and has been
with them eyer since and the men n
women who accomplished good things
for their race who have come from
his tutslaGe are very numerous. Such
schools deserve the substantial sup
port or all who hope for q self respect
Ing citizenship for the red
The Thomas murder case at Sturgis
promises unusually sensational deyei-
opments, and the air is filled with
sinister rumors. Thomas himself had
been considerably in the iimelight in
recent months and Mrs. Mcmahon who
shot him had been twice a widow
within q very brief time, and her
enemies more than intimate that both
husbands were ch%eerfully assisted in
their taking off. Disbursement Of Nc
Mahon the last husband is suggested.
The present condition of the treas
ury supports Governor Vessey's con
tention that the state debt will be
speedily extinguished. There is more
than 4 quarter of a million net cash
On hand, making the total debt at this
tina less Ash In the general fund
! shout 33ss, e%a, s1s5,o geo Of which is
swsd TO the tWfIs fund.
Duy the Shanard Elevator