Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1912-09-13
BOILED DOWN BALLOT REDUCES SIZE
Referred Laws on Which Electors Will Vote
By Title At November Election.

Referred Laws on Which Electors Will Vote
By Title At November Election.
Pierre, s. D., Sept l3.-Deputy Sec.
retary of State John T. Nelson has
prepared sample ballots for the oonsti-
tutional amendment and referred laws
which are to be voted on at the Noyem.
Der election, according to the new bal
lot law enacted at the last legislature.
Titles only are included on the ballot.
followed by the question, "Sha!l the
above law become law of this state?"
The amendment ballot is six inches in
length and the referred law ballot but
II inches long The latter was seven
feet IN length two years ago, and with
the volnmlnouS Richards primary this
year would be fully u feet from end to
end.
The submitted amendment, which in
slightly varying forms has been unsuc.
cessfully put up to the people several
times before, provides for the amend
ment of paragraph two of article xI of
the constitution 80 as to permit the as.
SCISSORS to successfully list corporate
property. especially such intangible.
though very valuable, assets as fran
chlses, and where the physical property
is not commensurate with the earnings.
AS IN the case of express companies.
then to tax them according to their
gross earning. and net income.
There are four measures to be voted
on this fall, of which the kichard's pri-
mary Is the most prominent. 1t will
be remembered that the legislature
first squelched 1t at the last session.
and finally passed it after heavy ini.
tiative petition had been filed with the
secretary of state. The bill contem.
plates complete revision of the South
Dakota primary law, is very detailed,
and seems to have been lost sight OF
since the last legislature, due to the
more spectacular political fight.
A second referred law is that reuuir.
Ing railways to equip their locomotives
with electric headlights, 1t was enacted
in 1909. referred and voted down in the
great vote no" caupaign against coun-
ty option in 1910: was again passed n
1911, to be again sent back to the peo.
pie by petition.
Sections 10 and IL of the famous herd
law Of 1907 are up for repeal. The law
provided that east of the Missouri the
cattle owner could let his stock run
loose only at his own peril, but that
west of the river he who raised crop
must take the liability of keeping his
neighbours cattle out of it, There was
an optional feature whereby any ooun-
ty could accept the law as applied east
of the river. The repeal of these SEQ.
tions will make the statute apply
throughout the state.
The last of the referred laws is Rep
resentative Butangton's oountyseat
primary, and is designed to remedy the
perennial countyseat fight deadlocks
which have occurred in such counties
as Gregory, Buthngton's home county,
and Charles Mix, where there are sew.
eral rivals for the honor. 1t provides
that prior to the primary as many
towns as can secure q 10 per cent peti.
tion may have their names placed on
the primary ballot. The two leading
towns are nominated, and must be vot-
ed on at the fall election, the one re.
ceiving the majority vote becoming the
permanent countyseat. According to
the present law, majority is required
for removal, which is very difficult to
secure, owing to the likelihood of many
candidates.