The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-02-13
PAGE TWO
LEGISLATIVE DOINGS

'ay ~ NHD f
week on several of the bills PROPOSED
by the state tax commission to cove
the provisions of the constitutions
amendment which was adopted at thu
last election. The senate passed the
bill placing a registration tax on mort
cages in lieu of all other taxes, OF
that class of property, but when i
comes up for a vote in the house Mon
day il will carry an amendment re
curing this registration to be paid by
the mortgage, and prohibiting AZ
agreement for such payment by the
m~ortgagor, which was adopted by the
committee and approved by the house
The house passed the bill TO place
a three mill levy on all moneys ana
credits, in lieu Of all other tax on this
class of property An attempt was
made 10 add mortgages TO the list OF
credits" but this was rejected by the
house and the mortgage resignation
will stand as a separate measure.
The state income tax proposition
DdbNtl INC ia - ~
to property to the value Of fifteen
thousand dollars. These being the
principal tax bills so far brought 10
the front.
The senate after consideration of
the state hail insurance measure for
a part Of one session decided II a
they were not yet ready TO vote upon
the measure and 1t is lying quiet rof
a few more days before 1t is brought
ont for a final vote but as it now
stands any individual has the right
to exempt himself from its provisions.
But unless he takes this action he is
under the law. The rate yet stands
at g. cents an acre for he eastern
part of the state and 45c for the
weather part.
The county nurse bill called out
quite a contention in the senate. The
Christian Scientists made a strong
fight on this bill, but it went through
with the only change of the authori
cation of confidential reports instead
OF public where the same is demand
ed. The county nurse being given
power of inspection. The issue was
raised that this allowed interference
with the private rights of individuals,
which was answered that so did the
prohibition law and others which were
passed for the general public good
even though the rights of some par
ticular Individual might suffer through
the operations of the law. That 1t
was better to consider the rights of
the community than that of some par
ticular individual within it.
The house wiped out the new en-
balmers license bill without giving it
much grace, after its provisions were
discussed, and it was shown that while
the embalmers wanted to raise the re-
quirements for any new embalmers
who desired to get into the business
in this state, m of those now In
business were to be in any way affect
ed by the law,
The same body practically as unan-
imously decided that county treasur-
ers will have to continue to note the
state tax upon the receipt as a sep
arate item from other taxes. refusing
to change this requirement at the re
quest of county officers.
Mrs. Alseth of Lake Preston had
the honor to be invited by special SEN
atorial resolution to occupy the seat
OF her husband on the floor of the SEN
ate in the absence of the senator from
K~ingsbury county, and was escorted
from the senate gallery to the seat by
a delegation of senators selected for
that purpose. Being the first woman
voter of that state to have this honor.
Ruben of Hamlin, made a losing
fight for his bill TO relieve county
officers from the extra burden of
writing the state tax on the back Of
each receipt as a special item. but he
rzs up against odds too heavy TO car
~ and went down in defeat so unan.
fD0us THAI there is no hope for fur
ther consideration
AS the state VIII offer lands in a
number Of counties in the eastern part
of the state the coming spring, two
bills which have each passed one
house or the other. viii be Of interest
TO probable land purchasers. One of
these. the Lyon bill, which retains 10
the people Of the state any oil or min
erals under the state lands sold, the
transfer being only that OF the surface
rights. and il any such valuable de.
posits are found al any time in the
future they are the property of the
state. The other is the bill which
changes the terms OF payments for
state lands purchased. The new
terms are ten per cen at time oil pur.
chase. and three per cent per rear on
the principal and FIVE per cent inter
est on the deferred payments until
the debt Is cleared up. The purchaser
has the right TO make any number of
payments he sees ft to make at ans
regular sales date period. but can car.
ry the amount as long as he cares to