The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-01-25
Just to Keep the Record Straight

l
/ AS there has been some re-
cent discussion Of the so-called
Drainage Law, passed at the last
session of the legislature, as |
have been informed by two gen.
tlemen from outside who were
here last week on business, l
think it matter of justice as
well as information to give the
official record of this bill.
The first action upon the drain
age proposition was taken when
Representative Evander, Of Ros-
holt, Roberts county, introduced
a concurrent resolution provid-
ing for a committee, consisting
of three members of the house
and three from the senate, to
meet like committee from
North Dakota and Minnesota to
consider the question of damage
that had arisen to lands in North
and South Dakota from f1owage
from the drainage from Minneso-
ia, over which litigation had aris-
en-. This was on January 29th,
and is found on page 343 Of the
house journal, and on January 80
the speaker of the house an
nounced the appointment of Rep
resentatives Evander of Roberts,
Buchholz of Meade and Guilfoyle
of Fall River as the members of
the house committee.
On February 2 the president
of the senate appointed Senators
Marvick of Roberts, Lincoln Of
Brown and Frick of Yankton as
the senate members. (see page
299. senate journal.) which COM
pleted the committee under the
resolution. However, Mr.. Buch-
holz withdrew from the house
membership and Representative
Kaas, Of Marshall, was named in
!, his place. The committee went
to St. Paul and there met like
committee from North Dakota.
On February End, the same day
on which the senate members of
the above committee were NAM
ed, the joint committee on drain
age-a standing committee con-
sisting of Cole of Brown, Evan
der Of Roberts, Huntley Of Bea-
die, Groth of Minnehaha, Tor
renee Of Bon Homme, Anderson
of Brown, and Brown of Faulk,
for the house, and Frick of Yank
ton. Erickson Of Union, Marvick
of Roberts, Peckham Of Hanson,
Southwick of Codington, Brooks
of Charles Mix and Dowdell of
Sanborn, for the senate-intro-
duced house bill No. '243 in the
house, (see page 414, house jour
nall, and on February 9Th house
bill 243 passed the house with
the following vote: For, 49,;
against, 0; absent, II; excused, 2.
(See page 473, house journal.)
The passage in the house was
reported to the senate February
9Th, (see senate journal, p. 289)
after which, on February 18th,
the bill passed the senate by the
following vote: For, 33; against,
0; absent and not voting, 10; ex-
cused, 2. Those abent and not
voting were: Amsden, Berg,
Gunderson, Hale, Lindland, Nc
Lean, McClintock, Peckham Jr..
Urdahl and Wanzer. (see senate
journal, p. 546). And by it's pass
age house bill No. 243 became,
under arrangement Of the secre-
tary of state, chapter 2O9 of the
session law of 1917. known as the
drainage law, over which there
has been some controversy in
this county. So far as l know,
no citizen Of Grant county was,
openly at least, seeking its pass
age, as no one ever approached
me, either personally or by let
ter. seeking my support of the
measure. And besides, no men,
Der of the Grant county delega-
ton was on the committee, in
either house that introduced the
bill.
| have written this purely as
information. and if any one wish
es to examine the record above
referred to. | will cheerfully fur
nish the same. Respectfully.
C. S. Amsden.