The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-03-15
GENERAL REVIEW
OF LEGISLATION
NOTES ON WORK OF THE RECENT
STATE LEGIsLATURE-BEST
IN MANY YEARS
NORBECK RURAL CREDIT PLAN NOW L
Farmers Non-Partisan League Secul'
Desired Legislation-Must Come
Before the People

By steve Travis, consequently
Seldom does so many of the recon-
mendations contained in a governors
message become enacted into law as
was the case with those contained in
Governor Norbeck's message.
Among the Governors recommends
tions which have now become laws
are:
Prohibition law. The Governor rec
~ommending that a strong law with
practical enforcement features be pas
sed to carry out The provisions of the
dry" constitutional amendment.
State constabulary, with state sheriff.
Providing for all county sheriffs work
ing under one head. Also for a state
enforcement officer.
State hail insurance. Providing for
submitting amendment for hail insur-
ance through a state department.
Irrigation projects assistance. The
Angostura project given special atten-
ton.
Workmen's compensation act. A law
in keeping with similar laws enacted
in the most progressive states of the
west.
Market commissioner and terminal
elevators. Providing for a market CON-
missioner. and submitting an amend
ment which will allow the state to
erect terminal elevators. In recon-
mending this legislation Governor Nor
beck said: ITO protect the man who
which dictate and control the price to
the advantage of the %speculator, must
be the duty of the state.'
In the neighborkood of SEQ laws were
passed during the session, a large num-
Der of them being amendments to exist
ing laws and appropriations relating
to state institutions. A large number
of the law were corrections in existing
statutes. The legislature provided for
a co%dification of the laws and desired
that so far as possible the present laws
be corrected for the new work. Fewer
new laws were passed than in several
sessions last past. One measure in
which the people are generally inter-
ested is the l. w. w. law, which pro-
vides for a heavy penalty for carrying
weapons on trains and investing train
crews with police powers to carry out
the provisions of this measure.
South Dakota Legislature
While the legislature of North Da-
kota has been receiving much publicity
as a farmers" legislature, yet the fact
remains that in the North Dakota legis-
lature the farmers are in the minority,
while in South Dakota 70 out of 1876
are farmers and stock men-eight
more than a major1ty-and the South
Dakota legislature has passed more
legislation of interest to the agricul-
tural classes than has any session of
the legislature in the Northwest.
The Farmers Non-Partisan League
has urged the legislature to open the
door wide enough to allow the state to
indulge in business undertakings that
will help bring the producer and the
consumer together and do away with
the monopoly and private control of
the avenues of trade. Such an amend
ment strongly backed by administra-
ton influence was passed during this
session.
The Farmers League, through VIM.
H. Talmage, General Agent, has asked
that the state be allowed to go as high
as one million dollars in expenditures
for business enterprises approved by
the people, but the Senate raised the
million to FIVE million. The people
must first adopt the amendment and
unler the terms any proposed enter
prise must first be approved by a two
thirds majority vote of the Legislature.
The possibilities are unlimited. II the
people so elect, they may engage in
manufacturing. warehouse. elevator
and milling business throughout the
state and in any kind OF internal i'm
provement. providing the voters at
the next election adopt the constitu.
tional amendment which has been sub
mitted to them. It Is this same amend
ment which the farmers Of North Da-
kota were ~contending for at Bismarck,
but which failed to get through the
North Dakota Legislature.
William H. Taimage. general agent
of the National Organization Of the