Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-08-26
PR|NTITEMS
STATE AUDITORS REPORT WILL
HEREAFTER SHOW EVERY
ITEM OF EXPENSE
BALLOT is NOT ALL GREEK
A OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Twenty Square
Inch Ballot Need Not Alright
Voters if Approached
With Caution
BY DOANE

Plerre-The first report of the state
auditor, under the new law requiring
every item of every voucher to be
printd at large, is now in the hands
of the printer. The report will make
a document of more than 1900 pages,
and, for the first time, the public will
nave a convenient means of knowing
precisely how every penny of state
funds is expended. Hitherto this could
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
cials, 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 scrutiniZe the
vouchers they file for publication with
greater care, and there will be fewer
careless and improvident expenditures.
Officials, too, will be exposed to un
just criticism from those unqualified
to determine the necessities of eX-
nenditures, and 2 new personal ele-
ment is certain to be introduced into
succeeding political campaigns.
There is a good deal of criticism of
the referendum ballot to be voted 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 n least likely to lead
the voter into error. Each act stands
by itself under a proper heading, the
lines OF 1t running clear across the
ballot, so that one could scarcely be
misled into voting for the wrong act,
as was the case with the former bal
lot voted two years ago. The legis-
lature spent much time in devising
a form that would be clear and COM
ballot is chiefly due to the fact hat
the military code was referendumed,
and has to be printed in it's entirety
upon the ballot.
The forest service IS meeting with
excellent results in the Black Hills in
It's efforts to reforest the c%ut-over and
burned-over lands. The plan pursued
is the simple n of sowing pine seeds
broadcast at the rate of about eight
pounds to the yacre. The birds and
gophers get away with a big per-
centage of the seed so sown, but
enough is saved so that a fine growth
of young pine is secured wherever the
seed has been Sown. It 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 it 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 it
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-
schools, but it is true
that very many of h successful red
men were so educated. Mr.. Eagle is a
graduate of the Congregational Norm
al at Santee, Neb., an institution
whose foundations were laid by AL
fred Riggs of the Minnesota Mission
airy family soon after the outbreak in
1852. When the Minnesota Sahtees
were banished to the Missouri, Mr..
Riggs accompanied them and has been
with them eve since and the men and
women who accomplished good things
for their race who have come from
his tutelage are very numerous. Such
schools deserve the substantial sup
port of all who hope for a self respect
ing citizenship for the red man.
The Thomas murder case at Sturgis
promises unusually sensational deVel-
opments, and the air is filled with
rumors. Thomas himself had
been considerably in the limelight In
recent months and Mrs. Mcmahon who
shot him had been twice a widow
within a very brief time, and her
enemies more than intimate that both
husbands were cheerfully assisted in
their taking off. Disinterment 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
a quarter of a million net cash
hand, making the total debt at this
time less cash in the general fund
about $360, 900, $135,000 of which is
owed to the Irvine fund.
Crushed Under Steam Pfow