The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-01-27
The South Dakota
Legislature


Farmers and bankeHs control the
senate Of the South Dakota legisla'
ture, and farmers and lawyers. OF
n stockmen, or almost any
other class. control the house, accord
Ing to statistics gathered for the leg
tslatIve red books. There are fifteen
in the senate and eleven bank
ers, twenty-six together, or q majority
OF the forty-five members. The senate
list also shows seven lawyers, four
real estate men. three merchants, two
physicians and one newspaper man,
one minister and one stockman. The
house Is wholly without benefit OF
clergy, but has three newspaper men
as partial compensation. There are
ferty-nine farmers and one retired
farmer, twelve lawyers, eight bankers,
six real estate men. five stnckmen,
four merchants and one representative
each for insurance men, statesmen, con-
tractors, ~abstractors, implement deal
ers, music dealers, merchant tailors,
grain dealers, building managers, fire
chiefs, retail lumbermen. miners and
educators.
"A live stock beard made up Of four
stockmen and one veterinarian. with
district veterinarians under him." Is
the purpose Of a bill pushed by NJ. j.
El1naOnn NJ Ga1ku nraCiHaut nfH the
State Federation of Live Stock Breed
ers' association, according to Mr.. Elan
agan's statement. He purposes s~tricter
quarantine laws to keep out diseased
cattle, and would provide stronger pen
alties for the sale of serum or vaccine
are boosting his cause, and others are
devotins their time in opposition. The
live stock sanitary board points to the
commendation Of its work in the mes
sage Of Gov. McMaster, to the work it
has done and the satisfaction it is CIV
ing. and quotes the attorney general to
the effect that the present quarantine
gaws are the strongest possible under
the constitution.
-
Anti-saloon forces have prepared a
Dill to present to the legislature, ad-
Justing the question of sacramental
wine sale to churches. The present
Jaw allows retail druggists to obtain
permits for the sale of sacramental
wine, but only two retail druggists in
the state took out such permits. The
bill proposed to cure the consequent
difficulty in getting such wine would
authorize any wholesale druggist In
the state to ship sacramental wine di-
rect to ministers, or ~designaed church
officials, on order from the state sher.
iff. The limit probably will be fixed
at twelve gallons, the amount agreed
TO be representative of all churches at
the special session last year. The prof.
1t on such sales will be limited to Is
ger cent.
The right Of franchise promises to
get as much attention at the present
session of the South Dakota legisla-
aure any any n other subject, except
the site for a hydro-electric power
plant and, the appropriations. 1t will
be tackled from a variety Of angles,
according TO rumors of bills which are
current. One measure Is expected 10
amend the law so that where a voter
moves out of one precinct within 80
DAYS of an election he need not be dis
c~ranchised, but may notify the regis
.:-- oo. o.J 49, lacH ~ hia old
nome precinct to vote until he has es-
tablished a legal residence in his new
place. Extension Of the jury and prop
erty rights Of women along with the
franchise will be asked.
Additional senate committee chair
manships announced by President
G~underson included: Apportionment,
Erskipe, of Mead; banks and banking,
Will, of Jerauld; charitable and penal
institutions, Merton, of Potter; courts,
Gunvordahl, Of Gregory; auditing, Cow
ey. of Trip; elections, Swenson, Of
Turner; Judiciary, Danforth, OF Mime
5 haha; public health, Kennedy. of
Hughes; printing, Scaber, of Lincoln;
rural credits, Engstrom, OF Roberts;
public lands, Wagner, of Bonhomme;
state affairs, Lincoln, of Brown; tele-
graph and express, Schultz, Of Lake;
temperance, johnson, of Clark; grain
grading, Berg, Of Minnehaha.
The house resolution memorializing
congress to pass the Smith-Towner
education bill was considered in the
senate and after discussion referred
to the committee on education for
study and investigation.
A requirement OF more popular de-
mand to have measures initiated and
referred Is suggested by Representa-
tive Slocum, of Campbell, who will in
troduce . resolution for a constitu-
tional amendment requiring the names
of 25 per cent of the voting population
on initiative and referendum petit