The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-01-09

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the principal one being to avoid as
far as possible danger Of spreading the
FLU" epidemic, which is yet trouble
some in some sections Of the state.
The usual inaugural ceremonies
were carried out so far as the organ
ization Of the two houses was con
cerned, the members of the house
having the oath of Office administered
to them by Justice Mccoy Of the SUI
preme court, and the same procedure
in the senate a conducted by JUS
tice Smith. Both houses meeting
promptly at twelve, noon. AS soon as
the necessary elective officers of the
two houses were selected to are for
a joint session the same met in the
hall of the house of representatives,
and the state officers were sworn in
by Justice Whiting, this ceremony be-
ing 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
committees have been made, and the
formal machinery prepared to grind
out the grist of the session.
The message of Governor Norbeck
dealt to a large extent with the mat
tiers of state development along the
lines Of the constitutional. amend
ments adopted at the last session and
proposed relief for returning soldiers,
along with the good roads proposition,
the main feature of that part of the
message being a comprehensive plan
which will mean state highways con-
Meeting all of the different county
seats of the state before the work is
To this end that automO-
biles be taxed on a horse power basis,
on the theory that good roads will
save more than the tax in the cost Of
tires and gas in any one year, and if
desired by the legislature a bond is
sue 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 placing them
on a smaller initial payment and no
land department to make it's spring
sales on the new instead of the old
basis, and carrying with it as 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 invest
ment.
The matter of power development
is considered, and the question of
manner of meeting the cost and pro-
cedure, which is proposed is that the
general supervision should be through
a board of state officials who should
serve without additional cQmpensa-
ton, while of necessity most of the
work would have to be done by engi-
neers. The cost of this is placed at
from three million to twelve million
dollars, which would need be met
through a bond issue which would
need be submitted to the people for
a vote. The manufacture Of cement
by the state, coal development and
other development plans would be
along the same line of procedure.
One of the ideas of the message is
that where a new department or plan
is created that the conducting of its
should be as sfar as possible
through some existing department of
the state, to save the expense of new
departments.
Attention is called to the lack of
space in the capitol building which
is apparent to all, and which will be-
come more acute with the growing
rural credits needs, and state hail in
surance increasing the demands of the
state insurance department for space,
and it is suggested that the present
should either provide an addi-
tional state building or increase the
size of the present capitol to meet the
needs.
AS to state hail insurance it Is sug-
gested that it's administration should
be as far as possible placed in the
hands of existing township. county
and state officials, and that each town
ship should be allowed to vote at the
election as to whether or not
they cared to take up the plan.
S. A. Travis. ,
Wv. S, S.