Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-03-08
ADJOURNMENT IS
TAKEN At PIERRE
South Dakota Lawmakers End
a go D Session-Many
important Bills Have
Been Passed.

Pierre, S. D., March 5-The 18th leg
islattve assembly for South Dakota
closed it's session at 11:15 o'clock last
night.
Both houses cleared their calendars
OF bills for final action" soon after the
noon recess. but with nothing special to
do for the day. there was no hurry to
concur in tho various amendments
which had been made by one house or
the other on various bills. The main
issue between the two houses was the
apportionment bill which the senate
had tackled on to the i. w. w. bill last
night as an amendment. Several con-
ference committees were appointed on
this bill n each brought back a re-
port which the house would not accept,
and 1t hung fire until the night session
before 1t was finally disposed of. and
the members from west Of the river,
who We're making h grand kick over
it's features, were finally %subdued.
Both houses adopted the conference
report on the bill. reducing h west
river counties and giving Minnehaha
county even house members.
Highway Appropriation Passed.
The only appropriation bill left over
Tor action was the highway appropri-
alton for $3.50, 900, which was author
lied by a vote of the people at the last
election. 1t went through without any
opposition. Tho appropriation of 500
600 for extension and improvements on
the state grounds, which developed
considerable opposition, was smoothed
over and went through without any OPP
position.
After all bills had been disposed of
n the members were waiting for a
report OF the cOnferees in the different
bills, several leaders about the state
house were called upon to talk to the
members.
Farmers In Control. !,
The farmer movement has beer dom
inant all through the session, and
whatever the farmers wanted they got
in every instance, as they had control
n could have forced their desires il
anyone had suggested opposition, which
In no case presented itself. The legis-
lation along the lines they desire covers
a wide range, including rural credits,
by which the man who desires to begin
farming with a small capital may pur-
chase land ON long time payments:
created a bureau Of state market COM
missioners; extended the powers Of the
farmers organizations in employment
or county agents and gave liberal ap-
preparations to the state agricultural
college In the way of live stock feat
ures, giving them n stock judging pa
vilion and appropriations to engage in
the raising of blooded stock, and stock
feeding. beside creating a poultry de-
partment, and beside this made pro-
visions for the erection Of stock
Judging pavilions at Mitchell and Belle
Fourche for local organizations.
me highway issue is taken care of in
an appropriation of $250,000 to meet a.
like amount from the federal govern
ment and their organization Of the
state highway commission to look after
highway improvements, and giving
counties owe to bond to construct
hard surface highways.
Workmen's Compensation.
Fol the benefit Of the laboring people
of the state the members passed the
workmen's compensation act and along
with 1t acts fixing n standard form
OF policy for such insurance, n pro-
viding for a standard reserve of mutual
insurance for this class.
Other measures Of wide importance
are the general irrigation code, allow
ing groups Of farmers to organize and
issue securities based on their land
dams and bitches for the conservation
of water; adopted. the Torrens system
OF land transfers; created the office of
state sheriff. who Is given wide powers
in looking after violations Of the GRIM
inal laws in all parts Of the state and
who has supervision Of all sheriffs and
their deputies, subject to call to any
part OF h state at any time. This
officer takes the place OF the ''prohi-
bition commissioner who was created
by the general prohibition act TO look
after Its enforcement. A budget board
to look after state expenditure and
submit o budget to the next legislative
session has been created. and cities are
given power to engage city managers
to look after their business affairs.
n game laws have been amended
to shorten the season and reduce the
daily bag limit. and the state game
commission is given power to condemn
property to carry out his projects.
Many constitutional amendments will
be submitted. among them that of
equal suffrage. tax reform. allowing
ment; authorizing the state to develop
Its water powers and its cement and.
coal deposits. These are the main fea-
lures Of the work Of the session, along
with q huge mass Of detail work. In
GLIDING matters Of interest to many
sections OF the state, but which can
hardly be classed as OF statewide in
terest.
The bill appropriating money for ex-
tension OF the capitol grounds and im-
provements was passed. It was the
last appropriation measu Of the ses-
sion.
Completed figures show that the ap-
preparations Tor the session were ST.
OOo.O 900 higher than for the session two
years a8o. with = total OF 34.93S,115.
This increase IL covered largely IN the
appropriations for lths state asricnl-
tnral collegA the military ApprOpfia-
tions "a meet government requirements
ana the Increased cost OF maintenance
& the state charitable institutions.
Approximately $50 bills were passed
during the session.