Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1911-03-23
NORRIS ON LAWS
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE SIZES
UP OUTPUT OF TWELFTH
LEGISLATURE
n
RICHARDS PRIMARY BILL
lawmakers Thought Voters Should
Pass Upon Any Measure Rad
icaIy Changing Law
Now in Force

Sioux Falls-Hon. Charles j. Morris
OF this city, who was speaker Of the
house during the twelfth legislative
session, reviews the work of our law
makers in manner that will be of
general interest He says:
There were introduced in the legis-
lature, three general primary cleo
tlon laws, one by Representative Bige-
low, another by Representative Ne
gard, and another by Mr.. Tscharner,
on behalf of Mr. Richards.
Mr.. Bigelow had very ingeniously
drawn measure, which, if it had be-
come law, would give us the pri-
mary and election to be voted at the
same time and on the same ballot
The measure has much merit and
may some day become the law of the
land. The other two measures were,
TO a great extent, the same as our
present primary election law, except
that there was a great many addition
al features, and also very much more
machinery, which would mean much
more expense in carrying out primary
elections
The members were against maxim G
any radical changes in the primary
}aw, believing that the defects in the
present law would best be developed
by trying the law out for two or three
elections.
They thought we might be able to
work out something more satisfactory
after we had concluded one or more
elections, under the present law.
The legislature was quite generally
opposed to the Richards primary law,
because of the great amount of ma
chinery connected with it, and the
work that would be thrown upo; the
voters of the state, and the expense
chat would be caused in conducting
elections under the law.
In addition to the bill, Mr. Richards
submitted a measure very much the
same, through the initiative, and filed
with the bill some 5000 signatures
asking that the measure be submitted
TO the people for their consideration
at the next general election
The petition being in-tcsm provided
by law, | took the ground that 1t
was the duty of the legislature to SUBJ
NIT the question to the people for
their consideration. There seems to
be considerable misunderstanding as
to the way the matter was handled In
the house.
l took the position that 1t was the
legislatures duty, under the constitu-
ton, to submit the matter to the peo-
pie at the general election, but that it
was not our duty to enact into law,
the measure proposed by Mr.. Richards
unless we knew the people wanted 1t
enacted.
Personally, I know OF no one who
wanted the matter enacted, excepting
of course, those few who were interest
ed in drafting it.
During the next two years, the peo-
pie will have an opportunity of study
ing the measure. and by the 1912 gen
eral election they will know whether
they will want to vote for or against
it.
Thus far, everyone who has read the
bill, SO far as / know, considers it i'm
practical and too complicated a piece
of machinery to work under.
AS to the daylight saloon bill, as
it is called which fixes the hour
for closing the saloons at o'clock at
night, the legislature looked upon it
as the best possible legislation along
the line OF regulation of the liquor
traffic The theory that people are
less liable to become intoxicated with
the saloons closing early, was advanc-
ed and had plenty of endorsement
and then the legislature felt that the
proposed law would have tendency
no Oh, nf
i think the Soldiers Home law Is
a good one There is much misun-
derstanding of that law among the
old soldiers. They seem to have the
opinion that the law will prevent any
old soldier serving on the board OF
control of the Soldiers Home, which
is not the fact.
Fifty years from now there will
be no old soldiers to serve on the
board and the law was drawn with
that fact in view.
The law has for It's intention, the
making of real home of the Soldiers
Home. We wanted to disassociate the
home with the military idea as fa1
as possible. Therefore we changed
the name Of the official at the head
of 1t, from "commandant" to super
intendent." The law not only per
mits the serving of old soldiers on the
board OF control, but it gives old
soldiers the preference in the make
up of the board.
In the way of prison reform much
was done by the legislature. At the
present time there is no way to parole
convicts who are in states prison un.
der life sentence.
Prisoners cAh be pardoned, but II
Is often more OF an injury to mar
Lead-Arran=ements are being rush
h.z Tho the aornaStal1a MINING