The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-01-19
TO lsAEND THE
CONSTITUTION
ORS WANT TO CHANGE
RESENT LAWS.
ABOL,ol. Is THE WATCHWORD
SEVERAL MEMBERS WANT TO DO
AWAY WITH STATE OFFICES.

for the appointment of a committee to
investigate cur Ignite coal POSSIBLE
tiles. Another measure is being pre-
pared and will be presented to the
legislature during the mex week pro
viding for a state fuel commission to
consist of the governor, secretary OF
STATE and state geologist, to serve with
out pay, for the purpose of Investigate
ing our Ignite deposits, make topo-
graphical maps of the same, and es-
tablisb an experimental %briquetting
plant after the North Dakota model
at Hebron. Fifty thousand dollars is
the sun named TO do this. In one way
this is the most important measure
before the legisla IRE. The United
Dakota l2J, 900, 600, 900 tons Of Ignite
coal. In its natural state it is net a
very good fuel, but it can be very
cheaply combined into b~riquettes,
which are superior in heat producing
qualities to the best anthracite as thir-
teen is to tWe'Ve. This fine grade of
coal can be produced and laid down
in the most remote cOrne of South
Dakota for So a ton Recent inyesti-
cations show that our people burn
$12, coo, 600 worth of anthracite a year.
In five years this can be cut in half
by the commercial development of
Ignite briquettes. The east owns the
railways and wants the long haul for
hard coal. If the people of South Da-
kota are ever to get cheap fuel, it
must be by their own efforts. Only
$4,000 is asked to begin a work which
will save the state 50, 900, 600 per an
mum.
Proposed constitutional amendments
have poured in thick and fast. Sen
ator Bartine Of Oacoma, has proposed .
one to increase the percentage OF
voters necessary to invoke the intia-
tive from ) to % per cent. Senator
Hitchcock brought up the sixteenth
Gncome tax amendment to the CON
stitution of the United States, for
ratification by South Dakota. Repre-
sentative sherman of Sioux Falls in
troduced an amendment giving stuff
rage to women owners of real estate,
who have the other qualifications.
Senator Wright of Beadle, proposes to
rn,,,frr H., royrp,pn+ of thu ln11 +aN
thirty days before election in order to
qualify. An amendment proposed by
Senator Cimmell Of Canton. would
abolish the Soldiers Home and state
charities and corrections boards, and
combine the functions under a board
of control Of three members. The vol
untary state tax commission Will prob
ably report in favor of an amendment
permitting the classification of prop
erty in order that an equitable tax
may be levied on each kind, and a
permanent tax commission sitting all
of the time, six year terms, three men,
bers, $1,000 annual salary, and with
complete power over assessment and
levy.
The Wagner-Walkes contest, which
look up most of the time of the house
during the first week, was decided
Tuesday, II TO 80 in favor of Wagner,
Democrat. who retained his seat.
Abolishing has been the watchword
during the past week. Representative
Helgerson of Mitchell, would abolish
the state engineer, and give his func-
tons to the state surveyor. and Repre-
sentative Jones of Pennington, would
abolish the state surveyor and give his
duties to the state engineer. Senator
Curtisss proposes to abolish the scale
inspector, and a house bill has been
introduced a~bolishing the telephone in
spector.
The Soldiers Home investigating
committee will consist of: Senator'S
Wyman. chairman; Morrissey and
Johnson. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
secretary; Browne, Ziebach and Rob
erts.
Senator Perley has a bill f%orbidding
the marriage OF the criminal, feeble
minded, insane or the tubercular or
venereal diseased. A bill by Repre-
sentative Bentley of Fall River, would
establish a state experimental farm in
that county. The state owns about
10000 acres of land in that county
which would become valuable If
farmed according to modern dry farm
ing methods. The Millet antelope bill,
protecting those animals for all time,
was the first to pass both houses. A
committee bin Will recommend the ap-
preparation OF money for an executive