The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-01-29
The LEGISLATURE
SENATOR URDAHL'S BILL FOR
CAPITOL MANAGEMENT
MEETS WITH FAVOR.

Pierre, Jan. EFF there is any
virtue in "A system of purchasing sup
plies on competitive bids and plac-
ing the whole work of purchasing,
hiring help and generally centraliz-
ing responsibility for the important
duties OF experimenting the state
capitol and its maintenance in the
hands of one competent person. Sen
ator Urdahl's bill. No. rs. should
cause a marked change for the bet
ter. II is admitted on all sides that
a similar business system OF looking
after the states printing and station
cry supplies has saved many thou
sands of dollars and the bill now be-
fore the Legislators Is designed to eff
feet a like saving in capitol mainten-
ance and general supplies for all de-
partments.
While the governor is made the
responsible head of this department,
the assistant superintendent provid-
ed for in the bill who replaces the
present head ~janitor must give a
bond for teh faithful performance of
his duties. All departments must
submit to him their requlsition for
supplies four times each year and
such supplies will be purchased by
the superintendent after duly adver-
Using for bids, and supplying blank
schedule and specifications in detail
to all firms desiring to bid for any of
the work or furnishing supplies. The
superintendent of the capitol shall
prepare and file an annual report the
same as other state officers. and il
should be possible to keep a close
check on all of his transactions. The
public may keep themselves inform
ed of how this maintenance money is
expended.
The state of South Dakota pays its
public officials such poor salaries
that they are justified in employing
members of their families to help
out the meager incomes, in the opin-
ion of the house, which today voted
down the a~ntinepotism bill. 10 to 81.
The poor salary situation was given
by opponents OF the bill as cause for
defeating IL.
That the state is likely to abolish
its highway commission. created in
1913, was indicated by the reversing
of the report OF the senate committee
that the bill do not pass"
A deficiency in the department OF
former Adjt. Gen. Englesby of $S,-
900, Is made cause of a thorough in
vestigation into the affairs of his ad-
ministration by a joint committee on
military affairs.
The antisaloon league forces, rep
resented here by r. l.. Holsaple. have
determined to have the prohibition
question voted on by the people in
1915. They will attempt to have the
legislature pass either a straight pro-
hibition law or a resolution submit
ting the question as a constitutional
amendment. If they think a prohi-
bition law can be passed with the
emergency clause, they devote their
efforts to that end, but realizing that
any such law without the emergency
clause would be taken to a referen-
dun vote, they prefer to have the
custom submitted as a constitutional
amendment than as a referendum
proposition. If the legislature fails
either to pass a prohibitory law with
the mergency clause or TO submit an
amendment. the prohibition question
will be submitted TO a vote of the
people under the initiative. Initia-
tive petitions are now out in prepare
ton for such an emergency, but will
be called in if either of the other
propositions has a prospect OF getting
through the legislature.
The league is also working on a
bill to put a stop to the selling OF
liquor by drug stores in this state.
The present laws of the state make
regulations for drug stores in dry
towns different from the regulations
in wet" towns. In dry" towns
drug stores can sell liquor only or
the prescription of a physician and a
record is kept OF each sale and pre-
scription. In a wet" town Ii is only
necessary for the purchaser to state
that he wants the liquor for medic
inal purposes and it is almost impos-
sible to secure a conviction under
that procedure.
A bill that will soon be introduced
by Senator Amsden of Grant county
will permit elevator men to make de-
livery on presentation of warehouse
which grain has been shipped. The
bill is designed to protect farmers
elevators and Independent elevators
from attempts of competing firms to
make them trouble. During the
threshing season the elevators fill
with grain and 1t is necessary to ship
out rapidly to make room for more.
II would be possible for one person