The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-01-16

tsS AotNtt NV
progressive states surrounding us
have one after another adopted it, and
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 Faux 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. l endorse
this recommendation, and suggest
that you give il your attention. IL 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 inheritances 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 candi-
dates, political committees, and chair
man, secretaries and t~reasurers 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 purpose 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
on the gross amount that may be ex-
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.
J Public Printing Cost.
I call your attention to what I be-
lieve to be the excessive cost OF our
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 a
ranted in saying that we are paying
for printing nearly or quite double
what we should.
Guaranty of Bank Deposits.
I recommend and urge the enact
ment of a we'll 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 now for several years
in Kansas and Oklahoma, long
| enough to fully test its 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-
tons are well taken to some Of the
proposed measures, but ] believe a
law can be drawn eliminating every
Objectionable feature. l am perfectly
clear On n proposition that the law
should be passed.
investment Companies.
There is a widespread demand for
a law to protect the public from i'm
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, skillfully
advertised by enthusiastic promoters.
are made to look like safe, sure and
very profitable investments n the
public induced to buy IN that belief.
when IL 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 n 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 tc this class Of schemes
and promotions. There should be
! strict regulation and control of the
promotion OF schemes, and invest
ments that are put on general sale to
the public.
Improvement Of Roads.
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