Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1913-02-22
LEGISLATIVE DOINGS
Both Houses Putting Ban on New
Dances. Many New Laws
Proposed and Passed.
BY HARRY A. ROBINSON.

last day upon which members as indi-
viduals might introduce bills, all others
now must come through committee and
from the rather remarkable way in
which both House and Senate have fin
ishsd their calendars day by day, there
will be no delay at the end of the ses-
sion and good time can be put in on the
committee bills which are the most i'm
portant of all measures introduced. Up
to date the Governor has signed appro-
priation bills amounting to $l0l ,046.64,
which sum includes the legislative sx-
pense of the present session, and large
number of minor matters, the big ap-
preparation bill not yet being introduced
for maintenance of the state generally
and institutions therein.
The bill relating to the publication of
insurance statements caused the most
excitement in both House and Senate
this week, the measure being a House
bill by the Insurance Committee, cutting
out the publication of such statements.
In connection with the creation of the
Tax Commission, Bielski of Stanley, has
introduced several measures which will
make the working of the new law feas-
ible; one limits the amount of money
which any taxing district may raise un-
der the new law to 102 per cent of the
amount which might have been raised
under the assessment of 1912, because
in raising the assessed valuation now
from about 20 per cent of the real value
to the full money value will make it pos
sibls at the existing levy limits for mum
icipalities to produce about fves times
the former revenue. Another measure
limits the salaries Of county officers
which are based upon assessed valua-
tions.
The big game bill which comes up each
session appeared as usual but was so OK.
tsnsively amended by the farmers that
the game law leaders finally joined them
and defeated the measure SO that the
large fund in that of SAL 900 still remains
and there is no provision for the dis
possl of it.
Both of the Houses have passed the
dance bill prohibiting the new dances,
"bunnyhug," etc., and any others which
may be immoral, and there is heavy
penalty attached for the violation there
of, so the public will have to be very
careful from now on in relation to the
variety of dances permitted in any
place.
The Senate killed the bill prohibiting
any overdrafts at banks, but another
measure is up making it fraudulent to
remove from one place to another while
there is an overdraft check out, and this
measure if it passes will keep some per-
sons from paying up accounts and leav-
ing on the night train while said checks
are of no worth.
Haafke and Bartine have both intro
duced rate bills, Bartine's being his
measure of two years ago, providing a
rule for determining distance tariff,
and Haafks's places definite rates for
classification and distance in the meas
ure itself This session has not 80 many
railroad bills before it as usual, those in
troduced being only mild and moderate
measures, which most any railroad would
comply with for their own good and that
of the public.
The democrats are insisting upon a
bank guaranty act, and Hale of Meade
and Larson in the House have both in
troduced such measures. Morgan, of
Charles Mix, this week introduced a
measure giving banks an option of eth
er entering into the guaranty association
or else putting up surety bond for the
benefit of depositors.
The Senate passed a bill providing
that if school teachers who have signed
up their contract to teach break them
they cannot teach any where else in
South Dakota for one year following.
This won't prohibit teachers from get
ting married if they wish and breaking
their teaching contract of course, nor
from going into another state to teach,
but just because a girl decides she would
rather teach in another town, she will
not now be permitted to follow that
course.
The Legislature did not take from the
Aberdeen Normal the right to conduct a
two years college course in that institu-
ton, though there was a determined
fight for such a measure led by EIDE, of
Beadle. The Board of Regents also have
stated that the institution should only
have manual and normal training in
their efforts not to duplicate work in the
state, but Aberdeen citizens were wroth
over the idea and the charter of the in
stitution permitting such a practice was
upheld by the House.
The celebration of Lincoln's birth was
an occasion of special significance to the
Legislature, public meeting of the two
| bodies being held in the Central M. E.
church, to which the citizens of Pierre
we're invited. Governor Byrne, Attor-
ney General johnson, Senator McMxs-
ter and Representative Morris were the
speakers, each taking patriotism and
modern thought i'm a different phase.
Washington's birthday will be celebrated
this week with like session in the even.
ing, while the Houses remain in recess
during the day.
The Legislative members who were
Elks and those in Pierre and f. Pierre,
together with many invited Elks from
various portions of the state held mag
nificent banquet this week, with Nc
Master, of Yankton, as toastmaster, and
prominent session members as speakers,