Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-02-01
From, Boise City.
Boise CITY. Jan. &c,

OhhR hhhDhh Or LIN HIN Il hhoc'
The Legislature is progressing smooth
ly, the only hitch being the fight over
the division of Alturas county which is
obstinately opposed. A bill similar to
that introduced by Fem two years ago |
relating to removal of county seats, has
been voted down, as well as the high Ii
cense law and the house substitute
therefor, which was practically local
option law. There is very strong tenn
perance element in both houses. but the |
prohibitory features of the proposed
act went too far to satisfy the conscien-
ces of members, with the result that it
was quietly smothered in. the house
committee by an adverse house.
Our friends Nelson. Day and Larimer
are very highly esteemed by their CO.
laborers in the legislative vineyard, and
when Mr.. Nelson rises to speak he soon
empties the lobbies. who pour into the
council chamber to hear the eloquent
uttterances which pour 80 gracefully
from his lips, while when he is down
for set speech half the city crowd the
gallary and seats allotted to outsiders.
Mr.. Day, while less fluent, is equally re-
spected and is regarded az the mott use
full man in committee in the house of
representatives. and expresses himself
while on the floor with brevity and
force born of hard common sense. Mr..
Larimer is assistant engrossing clerk
and his papers are q model of neatness,
while his previous services as council
man from Idaho county make him in
valuable in his present position. l have
not yet had time to inspect the record
of bills passed and cannot therefore
speak with authority as to the nature or
tendency of the legislation already en-
acted. but from the street talk-which is
prone to exageration-I hear that moth
ing detrimental has as yet been injected
into our statutes. The principal aim of
the majority seems to be to give the
Mormons "Hail Columbia" and l hear
it whispered that bill is pending max
ing 1t obligatory upon the Mormons to
take the 'Test Oath" before they can
file upon government lands. This is
usurpation of authority vested solely in
the Congress of the United States, with
vengeance. and is about on par with
the ruling of the general land office un-
der the late Commissioners Sparks, when
he repealed" the acts of Congress au
thorzing the location of pre-emption
M how Inv fln m fh.. r,plNl; 10
domain.
Days road bill appropriates $4,000
to build wagon road between Mt. Ida
no and Warm Springs and from Warm
Springs to Little Salmon Meadows, OF
which 81 500 is to be expended in build
ing bridge across Salmon river. The
building of the road is vested in the
hands of three commissioners to be APP
pointed by the Governor, and the bill
was reported back from the house COM
mittee last night with the recommends.
ton that it pass. am not advised q
the status of the University bill, but
like all appropriation bills it must re-
ceive the approval of Congress before it
becomes law.
My own idea is and always was thai
Camas prairie would receive just a,
much if not more benefit from the
building of the road up Salmon river
thence up Little Salmon and thence in
to Warrens, than by the more direct
route over the trail. In the first place
the river route would cost less, would
open up a vastly greater scope of coun
try between the Salmon and Snake riv.
ers; as well as the Little Salmon, Rapit
river and Seven Devils, all of which
would be just as near to the prairie az
to any other distributing point, Will,
the building of railroad to Camas pra
RE, would. by the river route, give u
an inestimable advantage in holding tht
growing trade of Warrens, Alton an,
other districts, as we'll as having larg,
local traffic directly along the rive
route which we never will have owe
the Miner trail route. But as things
look the river route is knocked on tn,
head for this session, and SO We must b,
content with what we can get. 1t il
possible the appropriation both for thu
road, the University and other matter,
may be opposed in the council and it j!
probable that may have to address the
council committee ON behalf of the bill
Our delegation, however have played
their cards SO well that do not appre.
bend any difficulty at this writing in
passing the measure through both hous.
ee.
rode from Pendleton to Nampa with
Hon. Elijah Smith, president of the o.
r. & Co., but did not know it at the
time, and gave him in the course Of Or
binary conversation glowing account
of the resources of our Clearwater