Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1919-01-11
STATE LEGISLATURE
Opening Session of South Daxota's Legis
lature Hears Recommendation
From Governor Norbeck.

Pierre, Jan, The opening Of the
sixteenth legislative session Of South
Dakota emphasiz the fact that legis
lation is becoming more and more a
business proposition than a political
one. In past sessions when politics
| played far more important part iu the
minds of many than did the business OF
the state, members were on the ground
early to be "in' on the organization.
but this year, with the Speakership
| practically decided in advance, instead
| Of swiring mass Of humanity aud
| clouds of tobacco smoke filling the hotel
lobbies Saturday night aud Sunday be-
! fore the opening OF the session only a
few members had arrived, the most of
them coming Monday aud a number
not showing up until Tuesday morning
to be on hand for the formal opening Of
the session at noon Of that day.
Another innovation was the elimina-
ton of the inaugural ball aud inaugural
reception, in place Of which the different
officers received their friends in their
offices the evening following The formal
Inauguration, while ia the central
rotunda of the capitol number of
young ladies served light refreshments
and handed out dpkers TO all who came.
as tokens from the newly eecled. state
officials. This change was on account Of
several reasons, bot the principal one
being to avoid as far as possible the
danger of spreading the "hu" epidemic,
which is yet troublesome in some sec
tions of the state
The usual inaugural ceremonies were
carried out as far as the organization Of
the two houses was concerned, the
members of the house having the oath
of Office administered to them by JUS
tice Mccoy Of the supreme court, and
the same procedure IN the senate was
conducted Ivy Justice smith Both
houses meeting promptly at twelve
noon. AS soon as the necessary elective
officers of the two houses were selected
to care for joint session the same met
in the hall of the house of representa-.
tiyes, and the state officers were sworn
in by Justice Whiting, this ceremony
being followed by the reading of the
message of Governor Norbeck.
That closed the formal proceedings for
the day, and legislation will not begin
to grind until the selections of commit
tees have been made, and the formal
machinery prepared to grind out the
grist of the session.
The message of Governor Norbeck
dealt to large extent with the matters
of state development along the lines Of
the constitutional amendments adopted
at the last session and proposed relief
for returning soldiers, along with the
good roads proposition, the main feat
ure of that part Of the message being
comprehensive plan which will mean
state highways connecting all of the
different county seats of the state before
the work is completed To this end
that automobiles be taxed on a horse
power basis, on the theory that good
roads will save more than the tax in the
and if desired by the legislature a bond
issue by the state to help boost the good
road system proposed.
Early legislation is asked covering the
amendment changing terms Of sale of
state school lands basing them on a
| smaller initial payment and on longer
terms, this to allow the state land de-
partment to make its spring sales on the
new instead Of the Old basis, and carry
ing with it so far as possible protection
to the purchaser who wants the land for
his actual home as against the possible
land "hog" who only wants it for an
investment.
The matter of power development is
considered, and the question of manner
of meeting the cost and procedure,
which is proposed is that the general
supervision should be through board
of state officials who should serve with
out additional compensation, which o
necessity most Of the work would have
to be done by engineers. The cost o.
this is placed at from three million tc
twelve million dollars, which would
need be met through bond issue which
would need be submitted to the people
for vote The manufacture of cement
by the state, coal development anc
other development plans ~o1ld be alon.
the same line of procedure.
One of the ideas of the message is tina
where new departure or plan is crea
ted that the conducting of its features
should be as far as possible through
some existing department of the state
to save the expense of new departme nts
Attention is called to tle lack OF spac,
in the capital building which is apparen
to all, and which will become NOR,
acute with the growing rural credit
needs, and state hail insurance increas
ing the demands OF lhe state insurance
department for space, and it is suggest
ed that the present session should eithel
provide an additional state building o
increase the size of the present capito
TO meet the needs.
As TO state hail insurance 1t is sug
gested that its administration should be
as far as possible placed in the hands o
existing townships, county and stat,
officials, and that each township shouC