Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-03-08

ny duoptlDS lile ADVERSE commit Y
tee report. This bill had u =
~ barred road in the house, pass
ing by a small majority after =
Tour attempts. 1t is a dead issue =
now. y
The general appropriation bill =
was deferred in the house until =
tomorrow afternoon. \
Pierre, S. D., March 2.-Traditions
were overturned by the South Dakota
BODY voted to submit to the people the
question of eliminating the constitu-
tlonal restrictions which have hereto
1ore prevented the state from engag-
ing In business enterprises. They went
even further and made the proposed
amendments broad enough to permit
counties and municipalities to engage
in business enterprises.
Inc league has urged he
legislature to open the door wide
enough to allow business undertakings
mat Will help bring producer n con-
sumner together and do away with mon
opoly and private control of the ave-
nues of trade. A similar amendment of
uemocratlc origin, proposed earlier in
the session. was defeated, but the sem
ate had a change Of heart, due, it was
nlnted, to administration influence, and
Wv piuSS VI tlfC CIlttlllDeT Nlcu Will
each in smoothing the way for the
passage of the measure.
Inc farmers league had asked that
the state be allowed to go as hig as
$l,OO0,00O in expenditures for a bust
ness enterprise approved by the people,
limit to $4,000, 900. The result may be
the overthrowing of the old constitu-
! tional provision that the state shall not
engage in making internal improve
ments but there are plenty of safe
guards. h people must first adopt the
amendment n under The terms, any
propoced enterprise muSt~firSt be ap-
proved by a majority vote of the people.
The possibilities are unlimited. If the
people SO elect they may engage in
manufacturing, banking or grain, ware
house and elevator business throughout
the state, county or cities, and in any
kind of enternal improvement, pro-
vided the voters at the next election
adopt the amendment. 1t is the amend
ment which the farmers of North Da-
kota were contending for at Bismarck,
but which failed to get through the
North Dakota legislature.
Pierre. S. D.. Feb. 2s.-The senate
has passed the Lyon city manager bill.
giving the cities of the state the right
to employ business managers after
July 1.
The senate has passed the house
bill appropriating $4,000 for the state
militia on its return from the border.
Each soldier is to receive SIS. SEN
ator Urdahi objected to the bill, saying
it was unconstitutional.
Accept Federal Aid.
The senate passed a bill accepting
for the state he Smith-Hughes act of
congress, offering federal aid for vo-
%cational training n agricultural edu-
cation. The state work will be admin
lstered through the state board of edu-
cation. consisting of the state super
intendent and educators representing
all classes OF schools.
Speaker Roberts Is Honored.
h house presented Speaker Rob
erts with a gold watch and Mrs. Rob
erts with a gold chain and locket.
Decide Budget Question.
The question of a budget for South
Dakota to be submitted for the con-
slderation OF the legislature when it
adopted the senate amendments to the
Benson budget bill. The bill, which
passed the house early in the session,
creates a budget board, with power to
employ expert accountants to invest
igate and look into the needs of the
partments.
~ -SbA uu dytISukSs
The senate has accepted the house
resolution for a constitutional amend
ment to allow 30-year payments for
state school lands with payments at
10 per cent down n the balance run
ming on long time. This gives better
opportunities for the purchase OF such
lands by the man with small means
for beginning farming operations.
Campaign Bill Turned Down.
The house bill to prevent city officers
and employees from taking any part in
campaigning at any election was
amended In committee to apply only to
Sioux Falls, the %introducer being from
that city, and in this shape it was
placed upon the calendar, where Lyon
himself helped to defeat it.
Utilities Bills Defeated.
The attempt in the house to get the
public utilities bills back ended in fail
ure, as the house refused to back the
efforts of Blake, head of the house
railway committee. in getting these
measures tackled on to a little one-page
bill as an amendment. AS these bills
have been defeated in both the house
and senate they probably are out Of
the way for this session. II they could
have been drawn to exempt municipaii-
ties which own their own public utili.
ties they might have received favor.
Representatives from towns with mu-
ntcipally owned plants were against
N interference with their local at
fairs.
BROOKIEGS-Andrew b. Holmes nro.
prietor OF q greenhouse, was stricken with
heart failure as he entered the door of hi.
home mi fell dead. He was SO yeara ~
1 age and-had been a resident of Brookinr.
Tor many years, coming here from Wes-
sington, 8. D. He is survived by five chill
dren.