The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-01-22
The Legislature
ADJOURNED UNTIL TUESDAY
TWO BILLS SIGNED by THE
GOVERNOR.

Pierre, Jan. 22.-Both houses Of
the legislature adjourned until the
26th, the last work being the sign
ing of the bill which seeks to collect
taxes from express companies. and
pushing it along as an emergency
law which cannot be referred.
While the session TO date has been
one of the quietest since the begin
ming OF statehood. several members
are tipping II out that they are ready
to wake things up on several PROPOSE
lions as soon as they get back after
the recess, and that there will be
plenty of movement for a time to
satisfy anyone. Just how they ex-.
pect TO stir they leave rather vague,
but some of the underground leads
indicate Ii will be in the way of push
ing investigation of state conditions,
and to find just where a saving can
be made In case hat such n thing is
possible.
The first two bills of the present
session to become laws were signed
by Gov. Byrne. They appropriate
moneys for the expenses of the legis-
lature and an emergency for the SOL
diers' home.
The senate overturned the commit
tee report on s. ID. "a, introduced by
McClintock, reducing the maximum
legal rate of interest TO 10 per cent.
The report of the committee was that
the bill do not pass" This was
amended, by a vote OF 20 to 1S. to
read that the bill do pass" and as
amended Ii was carried by a vote of
% to II. The senate passed two
other bills, one by Hagen fixing terms
of court in the ninth judicial circuit
and the other by Howell to abolish
the state bureau of information.
In the house. III. b. 4, appropriat-
ing $4,000 needed at once to continue
farmers institute work failed to re-
ceive the necessary t~wo-thirds vote.
The roll call showed 81 for and Al
against. Institute dates for February
and March will be abandoned. The
house passed III. p. 60 by S~tedronsky
of Charles Mix. fixing the time and
place for holding terms of circuit
court in the first district; H.. b. 80
by Olson of Grant, providing COM
~pensation to parents sending children
more than 21a miles to school; H. b.
81 by Dahl of Union. legalizing a
school bond issue in Union county;
III. b. 80 by Howe of Stanley. requir-
ing a population of 400 In counties to
be organized and III. b. 80 by Withee
of Turner. giving counties a claim
against the property of claimants for
Door relief. III. B. Sc by Ruhlman OF
Faulk. fixing liability of warehouse
men for delivery of goods, was de-
feated.
In the longest session of the pres
ant assembly the house battled over
the question of abolishing capital
punishment. The bill was up for
final passage with the prestige of
having been strongly recommended
IN the governors message, but Ii was
not allowed to get through without
vigorous protest.
Anderson of Clark led off for the
bill, alleging that society has the
right to take the life of no man. He
also opposed capital punishment on
religious grounds, because 1t often
deprived a sinner of his full time for
repentance. He also alleged that the
death penalty does not lessen the
crime of murder. you might as
Ntii a " Aath thC 1MtSsOuti at I
mouth" he said, ''as to try to stop
crime by breaking a mans neck at
the end OF his criminal career.
March OF Hughes opposed the bill,
and said 1t should be entitled IAN
act to impose mob law upon the peo-
pie of the state" He risked getting
in bad with his own town when. in
showing that imprisonment was not
adequate punishment, he declared
that in Minnesota the states prison
ers got better accommodations than
at any hotel in Pierre.
Jacobs of Brown county cited the
case of a murderer in that county be-
ing sentenced to prison, pardonedl
and then going over into Nebraska
and committing a second murder.
Stedronsky of Charles Mix attack
ed the bill on peculiar grounds, argu-
ing that when a murderer was hang
ed he and his victim were on an