Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1915-01-16
REVIEW FIRST WEEK
What States Solons Have Accomplished
So Far-Some Matters Over Which
Fight May be Waged.

sage that capital punishment be abolish
ed in South Dakota is the feature of the
rather slow first week of the South Da
kota legislature. 1t has found response
in bills introduced in either house by
Senator NJ. Pin Beebe of Ipswich, and
Rep. Geo. N. Steele of Highmore.
Maine, Michigan, Rhode Island, Wis
consin and Kansas at present are with
out the death penalty.
| The first shots in the big battle which
will be fought against and in defense OF
the Richards primary were fred this
week by The Republican State Central
Committee, which condemned it and
appointed a committee with Chairman
John l.. Lockhart at its head to submit
a substitute to the elections committees
and by Rep. B. f. Ruhlman Of Faulk,
who introduced a resolution in the
house calling for revision or repeal,
which however, was bereft of its throns
by fight on the floor lead by Blake of
Huron. Richards announced intention
to fight revision or repeal except through
the people means certain hot fight.
Rep. John l. Howe of Stanley has
early introduced a resolution for the
submission of an irrigation amendment
to the constitution same that lost
last fall-which will permit the legis-
lature to provide for the formation of
irrigation districts of lands appurtenant
to the same water source, the election of
officers and the issuance of bonds for
improvements. Mr.. Howe believes that
its enactment by the legislature and
people will do much to enable the
struggling trans Missouri communities
to get on their feet by their own indivi-
dual efforts.
The South Dakota Voluntary Highway
Commission of which f. G. Issenhuth,
Redield, Ben Nj. Wood, Rapid City and
n. o. Monserud are members, is well
satisfied with the 1911 county unit good
roads law and its workings, and for the
present is confining its propaganda to
securing a law for convict labor on high
ways; and an appropriation of 800, 1000
to construct highways on state lands and
on the state lines.
There are three bank guaranty bills
before the legislature. The first was
initiated by Chairman James Cotfey OF
the Democratic State Central Committee
last June the second vas initiated this
week by the South Dakota Bankers AS
sociation, and the third, practically
similar to the Bankers bill is supported
by the administration, and was intro
duced in the senate by McMaster OF
Yankton, and in the house by Tschar-
ner of Perkins county. Sentiment seems
favorable to. some sort of a guaranty
law. Which one will prevail is big
question?
Statewide prohibition is the program
of the South Dakota Anti-saloon league
announced through its superintendent
r. S. Holsaple who arrived on the
ground this week. 1t will require a
constitutional amendment, which he
thinks the legislature will be ready to
submit The liquor forces are represent
ed this season by III. b. Schlichting of
the the Central City brewery.
| The woman's suffrage ladies have not
as yet decided what they are after al
though another attempt at the submis-
sion of universal suffrage amendment
may be the result. However, many
are to be seen in the lobbies becoming
acquainted with the new generation OF
legislators.
A soil survey of the entire state, is
the hobby of Rep. J. G. Mcfarland OF
Watertown, and the object of the first
house bill of the 1915 session, which he
sponsored. The measure provides for
an analysis of the soils of South Dakota,
of which the number is legion, and the
establishment of demonstration plots, on
private lands in each soil district where
the proper treatment of that particular
soil will be taught under the direction
of state college agronomy experts who
will haye the whole matter in charge
Governor Byrne strongly recommended
this procedure in his message. The
State of Illinois is just completing sucl
a survey, with over 100 per cent increase
in production in many parts, it is said.
Tuesday was set aside in the state
| fnr aI 70 h1 1otn
w. Cons of Minnehaha, six times chic
clerk of the Dakota and South Dakots
legislatures, and senator in 1911 and
1913.
Senator o. j. Lundly of Herrick seeks
to remedy the confusion apparent or
the 1914 referred laws and constitutions
amendments ballot by having the attor
ney general prepare concise statemen,
of the purport and legal effect of eact
measure, to be certified on the ballots
by the secretary of state to the differen
counties.
President o. d. Anderson of the State
Farmers Cooperative Association is nrg
| ing state Hail Insurance proposition
on the model of the successful Saskatche
wan law, whereby effective insuranc,
can be secured at per cent per acre
with $500 indemnity.
The repeal of our present absolute
anti-cigarette law, and the substitution
of statute prohibiting sale to and US
by minors alone is sought by Senate
Isaac Lincoln of Aberdeen on the groun,
that it will be much more easily an,
better enforced.