Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-02-22

OF members who valiently testify to
the efficiency of their sort of treat
! ment.
J i. X !.
The bill requiring the delinquent
tax lists to be published in all Of the
official papers has passed the house,
amended to require a 30-cent adver-
Using fee to be paid for each descrip-
ton delinquent by the owner Of the
land. Hitherto the disposal of the de-
linquent list has been the personal
patronage of the county treasurer and
per not favored with the official print
ing of the county.
II + !.
The new military code has passed
the senate and reached the house. 1t
is is intended to conform to the fed
eral requirements under the army bill
of 1916. The members. not being
especially martial in training, are in
clined to take that act on faith and
hold the government responsible for
it's efficiency and wisdom.
X \ j.
A bill is being favorably considered
for bonding all officials at the expense
of the state. AT present state officials
are giving bonds to the amount OF
about $l,225, 900. Some of the bonds
are paid for by the state and some by
the individual officials. The annual
cost of these bonds is about $4,000.
The plan proposed is to have the CON-
missioner of insurance take bids from
all surety companies legally doing
business in the state and to let the
contract to the lowest responsible
bidder for a two.year period. About
one-half of the entire amount is the
bond of the state treasurer and his
deputy.
The sentiment for free text books
seems to be about unanimous, but
there is a division between the
friends of the district and the county
adoption. The bill for county uni
formity has been recommended by the
senate committee. Senator Dowdell's
plan for state publications did not re-
ceive much favor from the committee,
but he will endeavor to amend it into
the bill upon the floor.
!. + !.
Notwithstanding the resubmission
of the suffrage plank by the legisla-
tGre the ladies are asking for statu-
tory municipal suffrage and a large
element of the senate, at least. is ia.
yorable / o granting it. The subject
vas up and lost W years ago upon
constitutional grounds. The provision
reads: tWornen9 may vote at any
election held solely for school pur,
poses" and lawyers generally are Of
the opinion that they are thereby pro-
hibited from voting at any other cleo
ton. The women desire to have this
point tested in the supreme court,
which they al only do through the
passage OF an act attempting to confer
upon them the right to vote
The county library bill is in prfn-
ctpie well liked BY the members, but
trouble is encountered in the matter
of equitably adjusting the taxation
features. The bill as drawn exenlpts
taxing districts already supporting a
public library from the county libra,
rg tax, which perhaps is in conflict
with the constitutional provision re
curing taxes to be uniform. On the
other hand to tax these for libraries
will be double taxation. In practice,
however. there lis not likely to be
much difficulty. as the county library
is really intended for those sparseiy
settled counties without any large
towns and where in the nature of
things municipal public libraries can
not be maintained. The automobile
has quite changed the library situa-
ton and a constituency countrywide
can now he readily served from q cen
tra1 station.
1t is generally agreed that the state
viii pay the snlisted men i'm the
Fourth regiment SIS each to. help
them get started when they return
from the border. but there is some diff
ference about the time Of payment
and consequently the bill has been
delayed, Many OF the members want
it paid to the boys at the last mo
ment, when they are separating to go
TO their homes and when the tenpta.
ton to dissipate the fund will not be
so strong. while others are for trust.
ing the young fellows to do as they
viii.
i. i
In connection with the submission
of the power amendment 1t Is quoted
with much satisfaction BY the legisia-
ture that a committee of President
Wilson's cabinet, consisting Of Sec
retarfes Baker. Houston and Lane.
will visit the state in March to make
ID preliminary observation Of the Big
and Little Bends OF the Missouri.
.EtEfrf. 2.M.a ~ LEx .YEALhs