Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-01-17

iAt viz altSl atiSNN> "N|pNNh y IN
where once adopted there never is
talk of again laying it aside.
Inheritance Tax Report.
The attorney general in his report
calls attention to the condition of our
inheritance tax law. pointing out ser
ious defects in it, which seem to make
it inapplicable to our conditions and
practically useless. He states that
acting in conjunction with f. F.. Sni.
der states attorney of Faulk county,
he has secured and examined every
inheritance tax statute enacted in the
different states, and has considered
practically every case where such
statutes have been construed, and out
of this experience recommends the en-
actment of a new statute, | endorse
this recommendation, and suggest
that you give it your attention. 1t is
a matter of the utmost Importance to
the state, not only because of the rev.
enue it may bring in, but because a
properly devised and adequate system
of taxing inheritance is one of the
most equitable methods OF taxation.
Primary Elections.
The primary election system OF
making nominations has justified it
self. A new primary law making
some fundamental changes in the sys-
tenn of nominating candidates, enact
ed by the last Legislature and submit
ted to the people under the initiative
provision of the state constitution,
was adopted at the late election. Hav-
ing been thus approved by the voters,
it, of course, must be given careful
and thorough trial without change.
1t will be your duty to make such APP
preparation of funds as may be neces-
sary to carry it into effect.
Our law defining and prohibiting
corrupt practices in connection with
elections should be improved and
strengthened; those who may contrib
ute to, receive and disburse campaign
funds, defined and limited; candidates
and personal representatives of cand1-
dates, political committees, and chair
man, secretaries and treasurers or
such committees defined and their
duties outlined and limited. Itemized
detailed statements of moneys re-
ceived and disbursed should be requir-
ed to be filed with the proper officer,
pending the campaign and before
election, and final, complete state
ments, making full, itemiZed and de-
tailed reports of all moneys received
AND expended, from whom received,
to whom paid and for what purpose
after the election. The law should also
clearly define who may and may not
contribute to campaign funds, and
from whom contributions may be &C
cepted or collected, and to whom and
for what p campaign money
may be disbursed or paid, and limit
ing strictly the purposes for which
money may be expended in political
campaigns; placing a positive limit
m Tho prNcc amount that NAV he px-
pended by, for or in behalf of any
candidate, such limit being based
either on voting population or the
emoluments of the office, providing
that in no event shall the amount that
may be SO spent by, for or in behalf
of any candidate be so much at any
election as one years salary of the
office he is candidate for.
Public Printing Cost.
I call your attention to what / be-
lieve to be the excessive cost Of u
public printing. for some reason this
seems to be growing with each sue
cessive biennium, until it now amounts
to a large sum. This is a very import
ant matter, and merits your most
careful attention. After looking into
it with some degree of care | feel war
ranted in saying that we are paying
for printing nearly or quite double
what we should.
Guaranty of Bank Deposits.
l recommend and urge the enact
ment of a well considered, carefully
prepared bank deposit guaranty law,
by which depositors may be made
safe beyond ~peradventure in deposit
ting their money in banks chartered
by the state. The system has been
in operation 10Y for several years
in Kansas and Oklahoma, long
enough to fully test it's effect in opera
ton, and it is giving satisfaction to
the people.
Many of the bankers of this state
seem opposed to such a measure. ] am
inclined to believe that their objec-
tions are well taken to some of the
proposed measures, but / believe a
law can be drawn eliminating every
Objectionable feature. I am perfectly
clear on the proposition that the law
should be passed.
Investment Companies.
There is a widespread demand for
a law to protect the public from inn
position through the sale of worth
less stocks. of companies of question
able standing, and the promotion of
schemes ranging from the visionary
and impartial to the downright fraud
ulent. Schemes of the most vision
airy and impractical kind, skillfullyt
advertised by enthusiastic promoters,
are made to look like safe, sure and
very profitable investments and the
public induced to buy in that belief,
when if all the facts were known in
regard to organization, amount of
nominal capital, number OF shares is
sued or to be issued, amount of in
debtedness, character and value of
assets, or whether there are any as
sets at all, no sale could be made.
South Dakota, because of the general
prosperity prevailing among all class
es of it's people, has been a generous
contributor to this class of schemes
and promotions. There should be
strict regulation and control of the
promotion of schemes, and invest
ments that are put or general sale to
the public.
Improvement of Roads.
The question of securing uniformly
good country roads is receiving in
creased attention from all classes of
people. 1t is of great Importance, es-
pecially to the farming population to
whom roads are an absolute necessity
and of value according to fitness for
safe and comfortable travel and haul
ing at all times.