The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1910-12-30
legislative Notes.

ANAlC. - D.. DCS. -OS CAV
AT noon, on Jan. , 1911, the twelfth
biannual session of the South Dakota
State legislature will meet in the new
capitol building. The house will con
sist of l04 and the senate of As MEM
bers. Lieutenant-GovernOr Byrne OF
FaulktOn will preside over the senate.
There are several candidates for the
speakership of the house. Hon. +. G.
Issenhuth of Redfield, and Hon. G. j.
Morris OF Sioux Falls are supported
in their candidacy 10y the insurgent
faction.
From the Pierre standpoint. the
contest for Judge Carland's seat on
the federal bench is very interesting.
Judge Loring +. Gaffey, recently
retired from the circuit bench,
and Judge Whiting of the supreme
court. both Pierre men, are candi-
dates. Congressman Burke, and
many Pierre people are supporting
Mr.. Gaffey, and Judge Whiting sup
posed to have the support of Senator
Crawford, and is especially strong in
his old ninth circuit.
! Improved road legislation has long
been agitated in South Dakota, but it
was not until the session of 1907 that
it tOOk definite form. In that year,
Hon. j. r. Parmley of Ipswich, and
Hon. David Robertson of Sphinx, in
PRODUCED and supported in the house
and senate, respectively. agood roads
proposition, which is regarded by the
good roads experts as the best thing
in its line. 1t passed the senate but
was defeated by a narrow margin in
the house. 1t provided for the center
ing OF the control of the roads in the
knplc ~ +Hn n,,+v npnr>fociD~nr
A county engineer, to have charge of
the improvements was to be appoint
ed by the commissioners. Road taxes
were to be paid in cash, and expend-
iture made by cash to the lowest bid
der. This measur was introduced,
two years later by Hon. John Whiting
of Woonsocket, modified in committee.
and again defeated in the house. Fol
lowing this agitation, Governor YES
sey appointed a good roads commits
sion consisting Of Hon. j. w. Parm-
ley of Ipswich, Hon. f. G. Issenhuth
OF Redfield and Hon. J. r. Dalton of
Woonsocket. The commission held a
good roads convention at Aberdeen
in October, which was attended by
delegates from every county IN the
state. Much good feeling sevinced,
and the constant good roads talk in
the pers seems to have educat-
ed the people OF South Dakota to that
point where they are ready to take
advanced ground on the good roads
proposition. Hon. G. J. Morris of
Minnehaha, and Hon. +. G.. Issenhuth
of Redtield are expected to introduce
and champion some good roads
propositions in the coming session.
The taxing and assessment system
of South Dakota is in an unsatisfac-
tory condition, and because Of this
fact, Governor Wesley has appointed
a voluntary tax commission, OF which
President Warren of Yankton college,
Dean Sterling of the Z. S. D. law
school, and Hon. John B. Hanten of
Watertown r members. 1t is under
stood that the commission will make
a report 70 the legislature, containing
ideas, which if adopted as law, will
place our taxing system on q scientific
basis.
Another piece of legislation of vital
Importance to the state is.the Bigelow
school code. 1t is proposed and
backed by Supt. A. Fl. Bigelow of the
Lead City schools, who will represent
Lawrence county in the house. 1t has
been carefully considered, and favor
dDly lCpol lCo Wy thC oouliI ohoto
state teachers association. Briefly.
it provides for the Capitalization Of all
authority over all the schools OF the
state in the hands of the state board
of regents. The present school dis
trict is done away with, and the
county is organized as the unit, with
a county school board, and a county
superintendent accountable to the
board. A sort OF supervisorof schools
is created for each school house with
advisory powers. The proposition
would give an administrative central
ization, which experience in other
fields has taught, mears administra-
tive efficiency: but there is the other
side to be considered, as the lessening
of local interest in school affairs
through the abandoning of the school
committee. and possible abuse OF the
great power which the proposition
gives.
HARRY A. ROBINSON.