Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-09-21
ATTORNEY GENERA TO
EXPLAIN AMENDMENTS
New Provision to Give Voters
of South Dakota Line on
Special Proposals.

Pierre. S. D., Sept. 16.-The attorney
general has this yea prepared a con-
densed statement on each of the con-
stitutional amendments and initiated
pnd referred laws which will appear on
the ballot this fall. This statement gives
the purpose of the law in question in
concrete form, so that every voter can
know exactly what the effect of a
vote no, or yes, will be on the ques-
ton. This is a new provision and hou
result in each voter clearly understand
Ing the result of the passage of the law
IN question. -Four years ago, in the SeS-
sion of 1913, such an act was intro
duced and passed, but through mistake
was lost. 1t was brought out again in
1918 and is now a South Dakota law.
The secretary of state arranges the
constitutional amendments, initiated
md referred laws on the ballots and the
sample ballots, out today, show that the
following order has been assigned:
Constitutional amendment No. l is
The II authorizing the state to engage
in the construction and maintenance
Of good roads, and the supplying of coal
rom South Dakota fields.
No. 2 is the amendment providing for
irrigation Of agriculture. land in South
Dakota, giving the legislature power to
provide for it at the expense of the
landS.
No. 3 relates to revenue and finance.
As the constitution now stands it au-
thorizes the legislature to makes an an
nual tax levy of 2 mills for ordinary
purposes, 2 mills more to pay interest
and principal on the public debt, and a
any deficiency in general expenses
which comes from the preceding year.
The amendment limits the possible tax
levy to 2 mills for all purposes.
No. 4 is the amendment permitting
any county, or two or more counties
Jointly, to establish a system of rural
credits, and thereby loan money and
extend credit to the people of the coun-
ty upon real estate security.
No. 5 is the amendment providing for
the calling of a constitutional conven-
ton.
No, 6 is the amendment providing for
woman's suffrage.
No. Z is the amendment providing
for prohibition.
No. s is the amendment providing
for long term of lease of school lands.
No. 8 is the amendment authorizing
the legislature to fix the salaries of
state officers, removing the constitu-
tional restrictions now in force.
The initiated and referred laws are
also given numbers.
No. 1 is the Richards primary act.
initiated by Richards, which if enacted
would repeal the present primary law
and revive the old Richards law with
some changes.
No. 2 is a liquor regulation law. 1t
requires a majority of the electors Of
any township, town or city in favor of
the sale CT liquors at retail to vote
upon the question before the corporate
authorities are permitted to grant Ii
cense. The measure was passed by
the legislature and was referred. 1t
merely reenacts the present law on the
same subject, but omits therefrom the
words vote on such proposition" thus
making the change above stated.
No. 3 is a bank guarantee measure.
This was Initiated during the 1915 ses-
sion, and later in that session a bank-
ing measure was enacted, filling the
same purpose. Consequently if this
one Is passed it will repeal the 1915
measure and will put in place a new
law on the same subject, differing only
in matters of detail.
No. 4 is another initiated bank guar
anty law
No. 5 is a referendum on the act
passed by the legislature providing for
five-sixth jury verdicts in civil cases.
Under the old law - jurors must
agree; under this 10 could pass a YER
dict.