The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-01-11
Budget Plan Given start.

Inc state budget system Is TO be
given an early start under plans of
Senator Urdahl and Representative
Benson, of Moody, who have prepared
a point bill to be presented in both
houses. The new act 10 drawn along
the lines OF the North Dakota law
now in operation, providing for a bud
get board, composed of the governor,
the heads of the appropriations COM
mittees Of the two houses of the pre-
ceding legislative session, the state
auditor and state treasurer. This
board is to meet in the office of the
|. governor in November preceding the
meeting of the legislature and pass
upon the estimates of the needs OF
the various departments of the state.
which are to be submitted to them by
the state auditor.
The bankers OF the state will be
considered in bills at this session. One
by McClintock in the Senate fixes the
legal rate of interest in the state at
10 per cent, and one by Patterson in
the House attempting to limit the rate
to s per cent Bankers generally are
willing 10 accept the 10 pc cent rate
instead of the present II per cent, but
the s per cent limit is looked upon as
too low.
Many Road Bills.
The numerous road bills presented
in series would place the state high.
way commission practically in charge
of the road work of the state and is
intended to cut out the haphazard
work which has so often been charged
against the local system OF control.
Among the bills offered are those with
provisions giving the state commits
sion control of county road work, and
for an appropriation to take advantage
of the provisions Of the national APP
preparation, or grant, under the Shack
elford act, and to give greater pow
ers and a salary to the members OF
the state highway commission. An
other road bill in preparation is one
making wide tire wagons compulsory
in the state after January l, 1918.
The suffrage forces are framing up
their amendment to the constitution
for another trial after next election,
and will soon launch it upon the legis.
lature.
The first proposed amendment
comes from Hall, Of Lyman, who
wants to exempt farm improvements
to the amount of 5000 from taxation.
Rural Credits Issue Up.
Rural credits as a new legislative
procedure under the provisions of the
constitutional amendment adopted by
the people at the late election will re-
ceive consideration at the hands Of
a legislative committee, through the
action of the house committee. The
committee which will look after bills
along this line is branching into a new
field of legislative endeavor SO far as
South Dakota is concerned, and will
find enough work to keep them inter-
ested.
The fight which has been waged for
the past half dozen sessions against
beginning work on a second state in.
sane asylum at Watertown has prac-
tically vanished. That bill will have
about as easy a road at this session
as any which comes up for action.
For a number of years the state has
had upon the statute books a strict
law against the sale of fireworks
which carried enough powerful ex-
plosive to make them dangerous, eth
er to those using them or others. One
patriotic member proposed to lift this
ban and let the patriotic small boy
make all the noise he knows how when
the next Fourth of July celebration
rolls around.
At the House session a bill was Of
fered by Hoffman providing for the
abolition of attorney fees in petty
cases, allowing q. plaintiff to present
his own case, and providing proce-
dure in docketing and conducting the
same.
Bills for a new state normal school
at Bonesteei were presented in each
house. and appropriations asked for
live stock pavilions at Belle Fourche
and Mitchell.
Stein introduced a bill giving county
boards Of equalization the right to
make additional assessments and re-
assessments OF property. Widlon pre-
scented a bill to make stealing rides on
trains a misdemeanor, aimed at the
]. w. w.
In the Senate Gunderson started the
Herried social center bill to allow
school districts to make tax leyies
for such purposes.
The Senate committees announced
Saturday were:
Rules-Waters, AmsG9n, Reeves,
Daily and Mr.. President.
Legislative Expense-Rossow, Mohn,
Mclean, Glendenning and Anderson.
Several of the leading House com
mittees were announced at the session.
The chairmen of the committees
are:
Apportionment-Kass, of Marshall.
Observation-Disclosures, Of Clark.
Observation-Disclosures, of Codington.
Agriculture-Gudahl, Of Miner.
County Affairs-McGrath, of Lyman.
Fish and Game-Nevin, of Custer.
Insurance-Berdahl, of Minnehaha.
Live Stock-Hamm, of Pennington.
Judiciary-Benson, Moody.
Railroads-Blake, of Beadle.
State Affairs-Swanson, of Brown.