The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-02-09
PROPOSE new LAW
RESOLUTIONS ENTERED TO RE
FORM PRESENT PRIMARY
AND REDUCE BALLOT.
GOSSIP OF THE STATE HOUSE
a Review Of the Work Of the State
Government at the Capitol n
at the Various State
Institutions.

Pierre
The first move for reforming the
primary laws of the state, including
the plan to reduce the size of the bal
lot, was taken in the present session
of the legislature with the introduction
or Joint bills in the house and senate
by Representative Withee of Turner
county, and Senator Stephens of Bon
Homme county, respectively. In view
OF the recommendations made by Gov.
Norbeck in his inaugural message
that changes be made several mem
bers OF the legislature have been work
ing on an act to provide the suggested
reforms and the new law proposed
Is the result. While original generally
is the result. While following generally
the lines of the original primary law
OF h state, this measure goes back
OF that In part and attempts to make
the caucus representative in fact and
to put the primary moves in q cam
paign in the hands of the voters di-
rectly.
The law introduced provides for
the short ballot in the following way:
Nominations for governor and United
States senator would be made by a di-
rect vote Of the people as in previous
primary laws but beyond this the tick
ct would be cared for by a representa-
tive convention, the delegates to which
would be selected at the same pri-
mary election which names the gov
ernor and United States senator. This
would insure, 1t is believed, hat the
voters would take interest in the Sc
lection of these delegates.
Another change is the repeal of the
presidential preference primary fea
ture which was enacted at the spe-
cial session last year, and under which
candidates for president were SUP
posed to file their preference right
with the secretary Of state and be
voted for under this preference.
whether the preference they named
was a candidate before the national
convention or was not q candidate in
any manner.
Another provision comes from the
discovery that in shifting election
laws about in this state there is now
no provision for the selection of a
congressional candidate, nor a sen
torial n in case of vacancy for any
reason, and this is added to cover any
contingency which may arise in this
line.
Committee Appointed.
Both houses took action upon the
concurrent resolution for the appoint
ment of a joint committee to inyesti-
gate and report to the legislature on
the ACCESSIBILITY OF the creation of the
e:fice of market commissioner. and to
investigate into the advisability OF
taking up state terminal elevators by
a constitutional amendment to be sub
mitted. These ideas are growing in
this state as we'll as in the state OF
North Dakota, where the legislature in
session has acted on these issues
along with others. and the probability
is that definite action will be taken be-
fore the end Of this session to put the
elevator issue up to the people at the
next election.
Highway Bill Discussed.
The House highway bill which pro-
vides for the acceptance of the pro-
visions of the federal law appropriat.
Ing money from the national treasury
for construction of highways in states.
when the state makes a like appro-
priation is causing much discussion.
The bill carries provisions for a state
highway commission. beside many 9TH
err features. A movement is undc.
foot to change the commission feature
to put the administration of the law
under the engineering department Of
the state college of agriculture at
Brookings. Such a movement would
be opposed by those who believe in
the work of a highway commission
selected for that specific purpose
alone, and would mean a contest be
fore it vas disposed of.
Easier Terms Wanted.
A constitutional amendment for
longer time and smaller annual pay
ments on sales Of state lands is be-
ing prepared by State Land Commits
sioner N. E. Knight. who is working
on the theory that the state Could
make more advantageous sales if the
terms were made more liberal and
the purchaser given longer time in
making his payments, or, in other
words, place the sales OF state lands on
terms near those under a rural cred
It's plan Of operation.
Plead for Light" Beer Rights.
At the hearing before the Joint en-
perance committees Of the two houses
the brewing companies OF Sioux Falls
and Yankton were represented. and II.
B. Schlitchting OF Deadwood as spokes-
man for the companies. asked that
they be allowed to manufacture q light
beer. which they would be willing to
hand1a undor INV rapulafiOrc whic,,