The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-01-14
The CrOw's-NeSt

III
Wien the new war tax wen into
effect It was amusing to notice the
different ways II affected men who are
doing considerable commercial busl-
ness every day. The first time one
had to fix and concel a stamp on any
legal instrument he generally a
something to say about the nuisance
of having to pay a war tax when we
were not involved in a war ourselves.
The administration came in for quite
an amount Of criticism and future re-
venge was threatened. 1t was no the
amount of the tax levied on each
transaction but the principle OF 1t That
caused the adverse comment. A travel
ing man went into a long distance
booth, talked a minute to a customer,
and deposited the usual twenty-five
cent toll in the cash box. The opera
tor informed him that he must put in
another cent for the message tax. He
came out of the booth grumbling about
the smallness Of the tax and the in
convenience of providing himself with
pennies to pay the same whenever he
wished to use a phone. His remarks
started others to talking and the
whole contingent in the lobby agreed
that the government had made al un-
popular move and that it would react
upon the party in power in the next
campaign.
The Commercial Club is to have an
other try-out on the question of start
ing the agitation for the commission
form of government for the city. a
committee of attorneys is to examine
the law in the case in order TO see II
Brookings, with all its municipal enter
prises, can not adopt the new form
and work under it as well as some OF
the other cities in the state. If amend
ments must be made there is no time
to be lost in getting them before the
present session of the legislature. 1t
will take work to pass them. One
amendment to the law is already pro-
posed. A Huron man wants to make
it so that a city having that form OF
government now, may, by vote, so
back to the old form. There must he
some dissatisfaction with the commits
sion form of government in Huron.
If you should accuse a large number
of the people of Brookings of gross
selfshness they would resent the
charge with a great deal of spirit.
Take a stroll around town on Sunday
and make a note of the few places of
business that have to be kept open
all, or most all, of the day just to sup
ply persons with things they could as
we'll do without or lay in a stock of
them the day before and let the mer-
chant and shopkeeper have a part of
the day for rest and comfort. 1t is
sheer selfishness on the part of the
idler or the man of leisure to require
that a store or shop shall be kept open
all day on Sunday to furnish a place TO
loaf or to buy a five or ten cent article.
Some of these shopmen might want to
spend a part of the day at something
else rather than in catering to the sci
fish wants Of a few Sunday customers.
Have a heart and buy your luxuries en-
Saturday; then the small stores can
close and stay closed all day like tie
larger ones, restaurants, of course, eX-
cepted.
The Sioux City high school girls
have instituted a movement which, ii
they can carry out successfully, will
do more to start a necessary reform
than all the laws and ordinances that
can be passed by city or state officials,
They are not to accept the company OF
cigaret smokers and are to do all IN
their power to discourage the habit cl
smoking in their presence. 1t is to be
hoped that the movement will spread
to other communities. 1t used to be
considered a breach of etiquette to
smoke In the presence of ladies. Young
girls will now roll cigarets for boys
and light them for them. Who is
partly to blame for growth of the
habit and the consequent fouling Of
the air in public places that the non
e smokers have to breathe and pretend
n to enjoy it? 1t is those who could dis
n courage the habit among their youns