Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1917-03-10
PIERRE LAWMAKERS
Brief Resume of Doings Of the Legislature
Written for the Chronicle by It's
Pierre Correspondent,

| little rougher than usual. The house
members invaded the senate about
eleven o'clock and while the 'serm.
mage" was good natured so far as the
surface showed, there were some warm
encounters, and one man was knocked
! down in the row, which consisted large.
| ly Of throwing Of journals wrapped into
| compact missiles and heavy enough tC
| cut faces where they struck, and the
! house members who failed to reach the
! desk Of the president of the senate, came
! out with numerous scars of the battle.
From comments ln some parts of the
western half Of the state not everyone
! in that section is satisfied with the work
! Of the session, and several Of the mem.
| bers from counties which have their
| representation reduced through the ap.
/ pOrtionment finally adopted by trick
/ legislation on the part Of the senate,
\ yet they had not much protest to make
! outside that coming from Representa-
! tive Howe, Of Jackson county, on the
| plan TO tie Jackson to Jones as one rep
resentatiye district
The Tuberculos. SanatOrium al Custer
received more recognition than has been
accorded 10 that institution since it was
first established, the Increase over last
year being in the neighDorhOod Of 3l5,-
900, this coming in the way Of new
buildings and repairs, and increase in
the maintenance, and an appropriation
to reimburse the City of Custer for land
purchased for the location Of the insti-
tuition.
Belle Fourche was given an apprOpri-
alton for live stock pavilion at that
place TO help boost the stock industry,
and the mem bGrs from that county and
Meade secured the enactment Of law
which they badly wanted to assist in
stopping cattle rustiug in that part Of
the state.
Speartish was given a new building at
the Normal school, and ether appropria-
tions for repairs as well as an increase
in maintenance.
Down in the southern Hills, an APP
preparation was made for carrying On
the survey of the proposed AngOstura
irrigation project TO cover a large terri
tory ia the vicinity Of Buffalo Gap. An
appropriation was made 10 pay settlers
within the state game preserve for crop
damages by game animals, and another
act allowing trading OF state building
lands for any lands within the reserve,
along with an appropriation to assist in
reimbursng private owners in the re-
serve for their holdings
Rapid City asked for a material in
crease in powers and a new building at
he School of Mines, which wa. not
granted.
The new irrigation code which was
boosted by members from the western
part of the state generally, went through
all right, and gives the land owners who
desire to take advantage Of it, powers to
engage in that work to any extent they
may desire there being no minimum
limit placed on the size of the districts
which NAV organize to conserve the wa
ter and hold it for use when dry times
make the moisture q necessity.
Generally the session was the most
liberal one financially which the state
has ever seen. The appropriations are
heavy, but the members all stand on the
proposition that they were all needed,
and there were very few adverse votes
upon any Of the propositions brought up
along appropriation lines, I'm either
house. The total direct appropriations
were up to 81, 936, 900, which was an in
crease Of 81, 100000 over the approprIa-
ton of the previous session, this being
largely in the way of increased cost Of
maintenance in the state charitable in
stitutiuns every one of which came in
with deficiency appropriations to meet
the shortage in the previous appropria-
tions, caused by the same high cost of
living which struck them as it has indi-
viduals in their affairs and their main
tenance appropriations of the next two
years were figured on basis of present
cost, which boosted them on that line.
Then there was 1851, 800 appropriated
| for purchase of lands and for new build
! ings to meet the growing demands ofthe
| state along that line. The military de-
| partment came in under a new plan
| from any former demands, to meet the
| requirements placed upon such system
| continued in the state, by the Federal
| government. The total appropriations
| for all purposes running up to $245,0OO
of which $4,000 is direct donation to
| the troops who have been on the border
and to be paid them when they reach
| their home stations.
The general legislation Of statewide
| importance being the prohibitory law
the rural credits act, the irrigation code
the new highway code to meet the re
quirements Of the Federal government
to secure a quarter of a million dollars
state highway aid in the next two years
the state sheriff act, which provides fol
a supervising state sheriff over all coun
~ sheriffs, who are made state ICON
stables" subject to call to any part of tn,
state at any time; the workmen's com
pensation act strong game law regula
tions.
Besides the direct legislation ther,
were number of constitutional amend
ments among them equal suffrage, .a,
reform, for the development Of the stat,
water powers, cement beds, coal beds
and general amendment authorizing
the state to engage in the development
of any of its resources, cutting out tht
restriction against the state taking ur
such work, which has been a snag il
many directions ever since the begin
ming of statehood.