The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-01-19
THE LEGISLATURE
NORMAL SCHOOL DIFFICULTIES
LIQUOR LICENSE VOTING.

Pierre, Jan. 19.-Representative
Waltner of Hutchinson introduced a
bill in the house Saturday which
calls fatty for the abolition of the
normal school at Springfield and Of
fers the buildings for sale by the
state to the highest bidder. Mr..
Waltner contends that the institution
is in an out of the way place and is
a financial drag upon the state. This
bill probably marks the beginning of
one of the bitterest and most pro-
longed fights that the present ses-
sion of the legislature will witness.
Friends of the Springfield normal
as well as members from other school
towns in the state are prepared to
fight the measure 10 a finish. The
agitation for the consolidation Of
public institutions, in particular the
normal schools, has been in evidence
at previous sessions, but now that the
issue is ~squarely raised ii promises to
develop into a bitter struggle.
Five bills we're passed by the sen
ate Saturday, the legislative appro-
priation bill, the Hayes exemption
bill. the soldiers home emergency
appropriation bill. the measure per
hitting the transfer of city property
for courthouse purposes and the bill
providing for Jail sentences In grand
larceny cases where there may be ex-
tenuating circumstances. The init
| ative petition of the bankers bank
| guaranty bill was fled and referred
to a committee. Bessler introduced
a bill appropriating $4,000 for the
| purchase by the state of the brady
collection of relics in Sioux Falls.
At the summing up of the work of
| the last legislative session it was dis
| covered that through some mean a
| provision was slipped into the act re-
lating to liquor licenses, which pro-
| yides that to carry a license election
/ requires a majority of those voting
| upon that subject, the word upon
that subject" getting into the bill
without any action on the part OF
| either house. This provision has
been the subject Of more or less In
vestigation to find where the change
was made, but nothing definite could
be dug UP. Representative Birch oil
Grant county has started a bill to
| eliminate that part of the existing
act, taking the position thai ii is not
law. in fact regardless of its existence
in the statute, as neither house eveI
authorized it. The difference being
that under the old law, the voter who
did not vote upon license counted
against, as ii required a majority oil
all votes cast upon any subject at the
election to declare for license. I'm
der the change the silent voter count
ed neither way, but IL those voting
for license were greater in numbel
than those voting against, license
would be carried. 1t Is to get back
to the old system that Representative
Birch has introduced his measure.
Mrs. Henry Peters of Spearfish has
| Joined her husband in this city, ant
they are insistent upon action by thu
LEGISLATURE, or the department of thu
attorney general in regard to the as
sault made upon Peters a few nights
ago, and which he says was perp-
trated by students of the state nor
NAL school at Spearfsh. Mr.. Peters
shows by the marks on his face tina
he was roughly handled by som
one, and he demands that some den
mite action be taken.
Representative Weller of Dawson
county claims to be the only FLU
farmer in the state of South Dakota
his efforts in that line being the rails
ing of muskrats for commercial pur
poses, and Saturday morning he wa
shocked to receive Q letter to the Ell
feet that half OF the breeding stocl