The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-02-27
THE LEGISLATURE
LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE FILES REPORT
ON SECRETARY'S OFFICE.

Pierre, Feb. 27.-The report OF
the special legislative investigating
committee selected to look into the
system of state accounting was made
this afternoon. II deals principally
with what IL found in the department
of the secretary of state and with the
statement of former State Auditor
Anderson in his last annual report,
where he declared the state could
save a half million dollars a year by
a correct system OF accounting and
bookkeeping.
In regard to the department of the
secretary of state the committee crit
icizes the laxness of methods of the
heads of that department in allow
ing the office force to manage its af-
fairs, and finds that there is a short
age and discrepancy In the accounts.
which amount probably a never be
definitely ascertained on account OF
the loose nj in which the af-
fairs of the office were conducted.
The committee expresses a doubt
as TO the statement that the desk of
the assistant secretary was robbed of
81, 200. and suggests that this should
be further investigated. Many of the
methods of that department r crit
icized and changes are suggested
even III laws are required TO bring
them about.
In regard to the statement of the
former auditor that a saving of half
a million dollars a year could be
made, the committee says:
1T Is the opinion OF the commit
tee that said statement is misleading
TO the public and u~nwarranted, and
the statement"
The house definitely disposed or
the proposition to purchase a resi-
dence for the governor by defeating
the this afternoon. giving IL
only 81 votes on a proposition to ex-
pend $4,000 for a furnished resi-
dence. the present home of f. p.
Farr.
A combination of the senate was
framed up to fight all special appro-
priations. the purpose being to keep
the total down to less than two years
ago, on the theory that 1t will be poor
politics to increase appropriations. as
well as that of needed economy. SIM
liar organizations have been framed
at many former sessions, but have al
ways gone to pieces under the acid
test and ii remains for another appli-
cation of the acid to see IL the or
ganization which has been formed is
any more cohesive than former ones.
The new text book bill is in the
limelight since yesterday, with what
is called the little book" people
lighting ii on the claim that the big
companies want the bill. The blank
printers are also on the ground in
open opposition to the Thompson bill
for requiring all county blank books
to be of standard form, and purchas-
ed through the state printing COM
mission, and distributed. This bill
will be out on the floor of the house
today, and a number of amendments
have been prepared.
The senate passed the Labrie bill,
which had previously passed the
house. permitting fve-sixths of a jury
to return a verdict in civil cases.
: This is a reform long sought in South
Dakota, and in other states. but II
has been held back by the lawyers,
: 1t does not seem a very radical pro-
!: posal to allow the united judgment
!: of ten men tt rule over that Of two
!: men. Under the requirement for a
unanimous verdict juries often are
plugged" with one man, who holds
out for his side regardless of law OF
evidence.
After amending the bill to pur-
chase a residence for the governor,
SO as to purchase the Ed Farr $17.-
900 frame house instead of the A. w
Ewert $4,000 stone house the house
killed the bill on roll call.
In an attempt to pass a resolution
in the house last evening for a con-
s%titutional amendent to allow the es-
Enlistment of a system OF rural
credits it developed that it also open
ed the way for the state engaging In
internal improvements. and a general
fight to get that feature out sent II
over one day. An effort will be made
to open the way for the state high
way aid through this resolution.
When the equal suffrage amend
ment was up in the house on a mo-
ton to reconsider, one OF the argu.
ments against it was that the senate
had adopted the amendment FOL
statewide prohibition. and that the
1.-TWO issues would without doubt bring