The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-03-10
FOURTEENTH SESSION
OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA LEGIS-
LATURE IMPORTANT EN-
ACTMENTS.

Pierre. March 10.-What has been
the most important legislation of the
session of the South Dakota legisla-
ture just closed, depends upon the
viewpoint of the individual interest
ed. The session was a quiet one in
every way, and what was probably
the most daring innovation in law
making was the enactment of a COM
plete primary law, and repeating root
and branch a law which was placed
upon the statute books through the
medium Of the initiative provisions
of the state constitution. While the
work of the session itself is com
pleted they have left a mass of en-
actments upon the desk of the gov
ernor, which he has ten days TO dis
pose of in some manner, the session
not having been called upon to ham
die as many bills by over 200 as at
the session of two years ago. the vol
ume of the session laws will be less.
After the primary law, probably
the enactment of the most statewide
interest is the bank guaranty act
which was passed with very slight
opposition, the bankers themselves
assisting in framing the act. Beside
the legislation enacted on this line,
two different acts have been present
ed through the initiative to the same
effect.
The act of greatest Importance
along agricultural lines is the appro-
priation of $4,000 to take full ad-
vantage of the Smith-Lever fund of
congress-, which changes the system
of such work from centralizing into
widespread work in the fields and
kitchens of the state.
The state tax commission has ask
ed and secured the presentation TO
the people of a constitutional amend
ment to change the whole system OF
taxation in allowing classification of
property by the Legislature; and sew
eral enactments to assist them as far
as possible under the present consti-
tutional questions is that of the hold
ing of a constitutional convention for
general revision; constitutional pro-
hibition and equal suffrage.
Railways and insurance companies
have not received the attention OF
former sessions and very few acts
affecting them have been ven intro
dueed. and fewer number enacted.
In penal and court affairs. radical
departures were in the adjustment
of capital punishment in the state
and in providing for a fve-sixths jury
verdict in civil suits. preventing q
holdout by one man as in the past.
After the report OF the Legislative
investigating committee as to the
conditions which have existed in the
: department of the secretary of state
for some time, Secretary Rood de
manded an examination of the de
partment from January 5 last. Il
date, covering all the time he hal
been at the head of the department
The executive accountant has com
pleted this examination. and gives
the new secretary a clear schedule
I for all the time he has been in th'
office, and he will try to keep thu
same schedule all through the TIVE
: years of his term.
Many hunters owe the state arr
: disappointed at the refusal of tn
: senate to pass the house bill Great
] ing a state game bird refuge at oil,
; Fort Sisseton in Marshall county. /
went through the house with but lit
: tie opposition, but in the senate sen
! ators from the northwestern part o
the state registered protest and tn
bill went down. This tract is nov
held under lease by a brewing com
pany as a cattle ranch" and ever.
fall is the scene Of a hunting GROVE
coming out from Milwaukee TO hole
high carnival for a few weeks. If thu
reports from that section of the STATE
can be believed.