The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1921-03-03
Legislative News
(By our Special Correspondent

L lC1 S5 ~. L. L GAIL AFaIB LAJNil .
The highway program Of the ses-
sion has been dragging even since
the opening but is beginning to
show signs of coming into mighty
active life the first OF this-week
| There has been an element at work
which has taken the position that
the state should not only make
provisions for continuing the work
which has been under way for sey-
eral years, but that the whole pro-
gram be discontinued and nothing
further done. But this sentiment
is drifting further and further in
to the back ground, and it is ex-
pcctcd that d comprehensive bill
will be out for action in the clos
ing days, and will get the necess-
airy support to put it across. The
sentiment prevailing being that it
would be folly to stoD the work
under way and allow the expendi-
ture already made to be wasted for
lack of funds to keep it us and the
work in prog gress.
The voter who looks over his
legal ballot at the next general
election is likely to be either con-
fused at its proportions and won
dering where he is at, unless he de-
votes considerable time to it's
study before he goes into the vot-
ing boooth. The petitions for init
lated laws which were promised
have been coming in and are filed.
Among them are the Tom Ayres
state bank bill fashioned on the
North Dakota state bank law; the
Mobridge Hydro-eIectric bill, the
bill to remove the Sunday provis-
ions which prohibits base ball and
moving pictures on that day. The
Richards moral citizenship" bill
the Richards bill to wipe out the
state sheriff law; and his petition
which attempts To amend the pro-
hibiti0n clause in the state consti-
tuition. This petition the attorney
general holds to be without any
further effect than that Of a petit
tion of citizens asking that they
submit such an amendment, and
it is their option as to whether or
not they so do. That the Consti-
tuition provides in specific terms
the methods Of its amendments
and that the initiative is not one
of them. The petition to call for
vote on removal of these there
are likely to be several referred
laws on the ballot and the voter
who wants to know what he is vot-
ing for will need to put some time
in studying them all
The. mortgage registration tax
wilf remain on the revenue laws
of the state for at least another
two years. The house killed the Sc
nate bill for this repeal without
much discussion, and without go
ing to a record vote upon it. The
sentiment at the opening of the
session appeared to be strongly in
favor Of this repeal in both houses
but when it came to a show down
in the house the votes were lack
ing to even insist upon roll call
and the whole thing has gone by
the board.
4 The home building bill has pass
ed both houses and as soon as the
machinery for putting it in mo-
ton is completed through the rur-
AL credits board, the town man will
have an opportunity to borrow a
building fund from the state as
we'll as has the farmer under the
rural credits law.
The bill to detach Todd county
from Lyman where it has been for
judicial purposes from the begin
ming of time" and which went
thru the senate without much dis
pute promises to be a somewhat
warm issue when it gets into the
house for action. The Lyman men
are lining up to hold what they
have if it is possible, and the Tripp
county men who want the change
to that county are marshalling
their forces. As a side issue the
Mellette county boosters are on
hand waiting for chance to grab
the spoils while the others are
fighting for them, and when the
bin gets out on the floor there
promises to be a nice little argti-
ment brought on.
The bill by Walker of Stanley
to make oil pipe lines common car
riers under the control of the rail-
way commission, and with the
same rights as other common car
riers has passed both houses and if
there, are any oil locations devel-
.oped in the state, it will be posi-
bic to handle the product success
fully.