The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1921-01-21
REPEAL SECTIONS
OF RICHARD LAW
BILLS BEFORE sen llE TAKE
SHOT AT RICHARD AW-
MEMBERS GO a VIE

Pierre, Jan. 21.-Tl, Richards
Primary law was hacke at in the
house yesterday afterno n with the
result that three of its provisions
were repealed but not until after one
of the most heated debates to leave
the law intact and let the people
grow tired of it, instead of trying to
relieve some conditions, arguing that
any repeal would only be referred
again. Representative Merry of
Minnehaha and Campbell of Brown
charged that they were being buffa-
loed by fear of the opposition of one
man and his influence over the state.
The three measures repealed were
the postmaster primary, the debates
between candidates for governor and
the party meetings for endorsement
OF candidates for appointment
Representative Parker of Lawr-
ence offered an amendment to the
bills which would repeal the whole
Richards law, but this was voted
down on the ground that no proper
substitute was offered. Various
members urged that the people had
said they wanted the Richards law,
but II was explained that they had
had no opportunity to sift out the
bad features and had been forced to
take it or leave it, and that further
more, the most of them said after
wards that they did not know what
they were voting for or why.
representative Buell. suggested
tnat as long as Mr. Richards money
held out he could be expected to
keep referring changes in his law
made by the Legislature and bv ex-
tensiye propaganda campaigns secur-
ing the backing of the people in his
assumption that he alone could write
primary law, so there was no hope
OF letting time solve their troubles
and they had better act now. Rep
resentatives Swanson and Holmes of
Brown, hackers of the bills. urged
that the debates last year cost $4,000
and were merely vaudeville and
that the postmaster primary, where
worked, had been disregarded and
1iAt pAopOSdl AuCClluS were
AT the same time the house was
engaged in its debate on the primary
law. Senator Amsden of Grant in
troduced in the senate a bill wiping
out the publicity pamphlet features of
the Richards law and Senator Err
skine of Meade, repeal of the pro-
vision that the success of a candi-
date on any ticket made its platform
the party platform, which would
have made Richards alleged liquor
platform that of the republican party
in the state, had he been nominated
last spring
The house passed the senate bills
making Armistice day state legal
holiday, and providing for an effici-
ency survey of state departments,
and providing $500 apiece expense
money for themselves.
Bills were introduced in the SEN
ate making bank robbery a felony
punishable by penalties up to life
Imprisonment and $25,00O fine, and
making a false statement to a bank
when seeking loans felony punish
able by five years and $4,000 fine.
Both houses of the South Dakota
legislature met promptly at 1901
this morning for the final session be-
fore the recess. Ten minutes were
sufficient for the house to complete
its business, which consisted of roll
call, the Introduction of two bills and
adjournment.
The senate members, however, for
the first hour went ahead with rou-
tine business where they left off yes
terday afternoon, passing three bills
and deferring until after recess sew
eral others. House bill number nine
relating to bounties, the bill author
izing the payment from the indem-
nifty funds of certain claims due to
three individuals and bill relating to
the recording of certain instruments
were passed. The next measure to
be taken under consideration was
senate bill number 80 relating to
unlawful dances, which was the sub
Ject of long and strenuous debate,
before final adjournment was taken.