The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-03-09
LEGISL J rURE
SAIS OURNED
TWELFTH SESSION COMES TO A
CLOSE SATURDAY.
SEVERAL STRONG MEMBERS
TOWER ABOVE FELLOW LEGlS.
LATORS IN BOTH HOUSES.

Pierre, March 6.-After sixty days of
strenuous labor at one o'clock on
March 4, the twelfth legislature Of
South Dakota came to a close, twelve
hours after the scheduled sixty days,
the delay being caused by a most
strenuous fight On the part of the
house yer q senate amendment of $25,-
600 for the immigration commissioner,
and the mate objection to a house
amendment cutting $500 from the state
engineers appropriation, in the gen
eral appropriation bill. After the pa
thence of the house and a dozen con-
ference committees had been exhaust
ed, the d~isagreements were comprom-
ised and the general bill was passed
as amended. A large party of con-
servatives, lead by Wipf of Hutchinson,
declare that they will referrend the i'm
migration bill.
The personnel of the South Dakota
legislature contained many very strong
e Hon. Frank J. Byrne, lieutenant
governor, himself many times a SEN
ator, was always master of that body.
Curtiss of the judiciary and Carroll Of
the appropriations, were most fire.
q~uently heard in debate. Fleeger and
Wyman showed unusual forensic abil-
ity. Candy and Hitchcock we're lead
ers of the Democratic minority. Nc
Pherson and May were most frequently
heard on matters pertaining to the
hills. Henault of Custer, was the work
ing mans friend and spent consider
able time telling the senate about it.
Bartine, railways, with a freight rate
bill of his own, Norbeck, state affairs,
and Collins, temperance, with the day
light saloon bill, showed great ability
in defending their positions. Hedric,
elections, and Williams, apportion-
ment, me- and overcame weighty prob
lens. Gemmill was especially interest
ed in charitable institutions.
Hon. c. J. Morris of Sioux Falls, was
unanimous choice for speaker, and
continued to hold the respect of the
representatives. At no time did any
leader develop with any considerable
following. Each member voted as he
saw fit, and would brook no attempt
to dictate his choice. A large con
sentative element demanded that every
measure pass a most careful scrutiny
before allowing it to pass. This was
especially true in regard to appropria-
tons. McMaster, Tscharner and Nor
ris of Sphinx, We're the most forceful
takers. Millett and English supported
the temperance cause, and Treber and
Hursh generally c~hampioned the other
side. Whiting, judiciary, with the ia
nous House Bill 105; Helgerson, ap-
preparations, and Gardner, education,
were always listened to. Bigelow vas
largely regarded as the most brilliant
man in the house, though his two prop
ositions, the school code, and the COM
bination primary were defeated by that
body. Van Camp entered the spot
light with a number of insurance bills;
Issenhuth and Bruce, good roads;
Wipf, Hicks, Nelson and Anderson,
conservatives; Sutley, every subject;
Geidt, in number of bills championed,
and Kaas, ability to state a proposition
clearly. Browne was leader of the
stalwart faction. Sphinx county had an
unusually strong delegation.
Highway legislation has received
it's first forward step with the passage
of the Issenhuth-Bruc good roads
bill. The old question of the disposal
of the North Carolina bond money was
settled by its return to the general
fund. Millett's irrigation code has
opened up a new field to small enter
prises. An equitable and generally
satisfactory a~pportionment bill has
been enacted. Few changes have been
made in the mining laws. Sherman
and Cone have secured several i'm
portant amendments to the commits
sion government code. Public morals
nave DttH lul llSItu ny llt pdSSdSO VI
the daylight saloon bill, and the repeal
of the a~nti-treating law. Game laws
have been made more restrictive, and
an attempt to abolish county and sub
stitute state wardens failed. Curtiss'
ballot bill occasioned the fight of the
session. Whiting and Norbeck failed
in an attempt to amend the criminal
code. Pure seed legislation has uni
versally met defeat. Many new exper-
iment stations have been established.
No new institutions have been Great
ed. A change in the form Of manage
ment of the Soldiers Home has been
secured. The total appropriations a
less than $4,000, 900.
Harry A. Robinson.