Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-02-08
SENATOR URDAHL
ttMBASTS BOARD
Heated Argument Results When
an Attempt Is Made to
Reconsider Sale of
Quarry Site.

Pierre. S. D.. Feb. 3-Senator Pear
son, OF Minnehaha. wanted to recon
slider the bill authorizing the board OF
charities to sell the old penitentiary
quarry site at Sioux Falls, but failed.
Senator Urdahl opposed any reconsid-
Grafton in a hot speech, charging 1t
was backed by corporation attorneys
for the Milwaukee road. which wanted
the land for %trackage.
Berg, of Minnehaha, author of the
bill, replied that they could trust the
board not to sell if it did not have a
good offer, but Urdahl doubted the wis
dom of trusting everything TO such a
board as would elect one Of it's own
members to an important position such
as they did when Redfield was selected
to be warden of the ~penitentiary. Ur-
dahl charged that it was even rumorcd
that some members of the board have
bought second hand automobiles and
sold them to state institutions at a
profit. President McMaster then called
him to order. Urdahl explained he
was merely showing the legislators that
they should not be expected to trust
Everybody with everything"
A bill put in the senate by Alseth.
raising the poll and road tax to 50,
and authorizing the county commits
sioners to require the tax to be worked
out if not paid.
Fear I. ". w. Bill.
The Widlon bill to curb travel of l.
". w. itinerants came out on the floor
of the house for a final vote. There
was an apparent fear that with the
drastic amendment which had been
labor movement to the state In the fall
would be stopped, and the farmers
would be worse off than under present
conditions.
They want a law which will allow the
real farm 1aborers to come in n keep
the toughs out, and the bill was sent
back to the judiciary committee to so
shape the law as to give the railway
officials or some one else the power OF
passing judgment as to who should be
allowed to come in and who should b.
barred.
Would Make Both Liable.
An abstract of clear title "to a BRIDE
vas what Senator Urdah declared
would be required by an intending
bridegroom under the provisions Of
Senate bill 81, which was passed by the
Senate after opposition from several of
the members on different grounds. The
bill makes a husband II wife equally
liable for any purchases of the neces-
stiles of life, and reaches back to claims
against a woman prior to marriage. 1t
was also declared to be a means OF
compelling a married woman to pay
whatever bills a worthless husband
cared to incur, but it passed after the
opposition talked itself out.
Reduce Interest Rate.
The House passed the bill to reduce
the legal rate of interest to 10 per cent
in the state, after considerable opposi-
ton by a bare majority.
A constitutional amendment for long
er time and small annual payments or
sales of state lands is being prepared
by State Land Commissioner N. E.
knight, who is working on the theory
that the state could make more advan-
tageous 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 credits plan of operation.
Representative kaas has prepared
bills which provide regulations for the
assessment and taxation of telegraph
companies operating in his state and
methods OF taxation OF Pullman cars
ODerated in South Dakota