The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1921-01-10
SOUTH DAKOTA
LEGISLATURE
SOUTH DAKOTA'S BLUE LAWS
MUST BE ENFORCED OR
REPEALED.

GteffS, Jan. lU.-SOuIh DakOta s
blue laws must either be repealed or
amended so they may be enforced
IN the opinion of Attorney General
Payne, who declares the wording of
the present statutes leads 10 evasion
OF the laws intent
'Gainful occupations are prohi-
bited in South Dakota on SUNDAYS.
but no section of the statutes refines
just what are 'gainful occupations. -
Therefore. baseball. motion pic
lures, dancing. theaters, boxing and
various other things that. it is de-
clared, the law was designed to pro-
hibit on Sundays, are made legal by
lack of specification. according to
the attorney general.
Proponents of a blue Sunday" in
this state are eager TO have the leg
islature at its coming session amend
the blue laws and enlarge their
scope so that they may specifically
cover all forms of amusement and
commerce not absolutely essential. -
On the other hand sentiment ap-
pears TO he developing in favor of
The repeal of all blue laws. Back
ers of this proposition urge among
other things that the prohibition of
Sunday baseball would mean death
of the South Dakota league.
Following up the bill restoring
capital punishment in the state al
ready introduced in the senate Bry-
ant, OF Clay. introduced IN the house
4 measure he says would have some
effect in keeping out robbers and
burglars as Well as murderers Ii is
a bill providing that concealed wea-
pons may be carried on permission
of the sheriff and county judges BIZ
any person who is Obliged to carry
large amounts of money or other
valuables on his person after bank
ing hours or between towns where
robberies might occur.
Hotels in the state are going to
receive some attention from the
members of the senate of the South
Dakota legislature during the pres
ent session. for Senator Arthur L.
Sherin of Codington county has in
troduced a bill that requires hotels
of the state 10 post the regular rates
for each room on the inside of the
door leading TO that room.
Il believe that a guest has the
right to know what the room that he
occupies for a night ordinarilay
costs" declared Senator Sherin,
And if the occupant knows the set
price he can then demand another
room or move elsewhere
This measure is directed mainly
at the practice of raising prices of
rooms in hotels during conventions
and other assemblies.
Unanimous endorsement was given
by the house of representatives to a
resolution by Swanson of Brown
county memorializing congress to
pass the the Smith-Tower education
bill now before them. providing a
cabinet member in charge of educa-
tion and a million dollar fund for
educational work over the country.
In explaining the bill Swanson said,
Il understand the secretary to the
president is the only person in au-
thority in Washington TO oppose it.
and he has been working day and
night TO defeat it," There were no
remarks against the measure on the
floor of the house here.
The resolution asking congress 10
fix cost price on farm products
based on crop production brought out
the first fight of the session on the
floor. Gill of Brookings county Sc
cured its reference TO the agriculture
committee for further investigation
that they might be absolutely sure
of their ground, after Swanson OF
Brown county, who introduced the
bill, had assured them he had work
ed on the idea for many years, and
he believed il safe, pleading for its
discussion in the committee of the
whole. Johnson of Union county
supported Swanson, while Bryant OF
Clay and Van Ornum of Sphinx fav-
ored it's reference to the committee
which carried 81 to 35.