The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-03-28
LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The session of the state legislature
was short, but exceedingly important.
Fifty m bills and six joint resolutions
were passed. Appropriations of $3.50
S47.93 were made. $225,O00 was really
loaned to the penitentiary Irvine plant,
and 100000 went into the highway
lund, to be returned by the federal
government at a later date. The other
sums VT Z for state institutions to
cover DEFICIENCIES and for the stat,
council of defense. Outside of appro-
priat!ons, the legislation covers mat
ters of education, and war measures,
principal among these being the laws
giving decided power to the state and
county councils of defense, the bill re-
cognizing the home guard as a legal
organization the one authorizing the
registration and listing Of all unemploy-
ed in the state, and their classification
to compel their entering into prOduc-
tive service of the country, and the
acts defining treason, and sabotage and
criminal syndicalism, and providing
penalties for violation of same. The
laws to limit education in the common
schools of the state to the English
language; and require instruction in al
schools, public or private, to conduct
their educational work in the English
tongue only.
Several constitutional amendments
will be presented to the voters. Only
two are new matters, one ratifying and
approving the federal prohibitory
amendment, the other authorizing the
state to engage in development Of coal
deposits in the northwest section of the
state, where such deposits are located.
All others were merely to cure defects
ted by the last session.
The entire session was free from
pickering, about all the warmth being
in the attempt to limit the powers of
the councils of defense. A little heat
was evident in the debate of the citi-
zen suffrage amendment. The legisla-
ture is to be thanked for the quick way
in which they did their work and the
efficiency displayed in making the laws
necessary.
The following is a list of the laws
passed, in addition to the a%ppropria-
tons:
Defining crime of treason and pre-
scribing penalty.
Defining crime of misprision of trea-
son and providing punishment, in other
words. h%arboring a traitor.
Health and accident insurance poll
cies under supervision of insurance de-
partment.
L~egalizing expenditures for home
guards and council of defense by oun
ties and municipalities.
Allowing road taxes to be expended
on property in cities.
Limiting instruction in common
schools to English language.
Authorizing state highway depart
ment to secure land on which gravel
pits or other road making materials
are found by condemnation.
Amending rural credits law concern
ing borrowing privileges, giving COM
mission the right to borrow at market
price of money.
Home Guard maintenance. equip
ment, etc.
City manager, allowing towns to en-
10y by vote of people
Compulsory labor for idle.
Authorizing first class cities to
change their number Of commissioners.
Authorizing purchase of coal and
ether supplies to be made upon future
appropriations when same car be more
economically done, for board Of chari-
ties and corrections. regents of educa.
ton and the capitol custodian, thus af-
fecting state institutions. under these
oficials.
Civlnv nrivilaco IN thOce IN war ~