The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-02-14
amendment, insuring the passage Of
the bill with the emergency clause in
it. The fight was kept at white heat

amendment, insuring the passage Of
the bill with the emergency clause in
1t. The fight was kept at white heat
from 2:30 until s, when the bill passed
precisely as it ca, from the senate,
with seventy-five favorable votes. In
the curse of the debate Speaker
Tscharner made some reference to the
motives of the opposition. when was
resented by Morris Of Sphinx in strong
terms.
The bill as it has become law pro
F1dcs for three tax commissioners, tc
draw salaries of $4,000 each, a score
tary and stenographer. The commits
sion is to be constantly in session. to
study tax questions and enforce the
revenue laws of the state. All of the
present powers of the board of equal
zation and assessment are conferred
upon it, with some additional ones.
- :. :.
The constitution of the state and
the statutes governing assessments
provide that all property shall be as
Sessed at its value in money. These
provisions have not hitherto been re-
garded, but it is presumed that the
lax commission will enforce the law.
Moneys and credits are required to be
listed, but. in fact. little ~pretension
has beer made to carry out this pro
vision of the law. 1t is claimed there
is a quarter of a billion Of this class
of property in the state which has
hitherto escaped taxation which will
now be listed. in addition to a great
deal of tangible property which has
through carelessness or favoritism es-
capped assessors.
- =. =
First and last a real revolution in
methods Of assessment and in e~qualiz-
ing the public burdens is promised.
Governor Byrne has publicly pledged
himself to appoint only competent
men to the board who will pledge
themselves to enforce the law faith
fully, nonpartially and nonpartisanly.
= - =
1t has been charged that the senate
has been exceedingly complacent in
passing bills and putting it over upon
the house to determine the merits.
This charge is perhaps not very we'll
founded: but the senate in this state
almost invariably takes a more lib
eral view of affairs than does the
house. which always has a ~preponder-
ance of members of conservative ten
denotes. However the truth may be.
from its usual method and killed the
bill providing for a bureau of child
and animal protection on the theory
that the probation courts and the
children's home have ample power to
protect children and are exercising it,
while animal protection must be
founded on the humanity of the com
munity, and that South Dakota people
are exceedingly sensitive upon the
subject and will not allow the abuse
of dumb animals without effective
protest.
It is noted that Senator Mather Of
Brown county is a lineal descendant
of Cotton and Increase Mather and he
possesses many of the characteristics
Of his forbears. He is a man Of
marked convictions and the courage
to support them. These qualities
make him a Watchful and aggressive
legislator, who most frequently finds
it policy to oppose needless innoVa-
tons.
The house has passed the bill pro-
hibiting the modern rag time dances
and it is most likely to go through the
senate, facts which give a hint of the
moral standards of the solons.
The negotiable instruments bill was
considered in the house. in committee
of the whole. and after being cut up
with amendments was indefinitely
postponed. This bill, in force in
most OF the states, has been constantly
before the South Dakota legislature
since 1901 and when it appeared this
an experienced legislator re
marked that a SNOWFALL had a better
show for immortality in hades than
the uniform negotiable instruments
bill has to become a law in this state
The event proves him a prophet. 1t
was thought that this year, with the
support of the State Bar association
behind it, it might carry.
:. !. !.