The Bessemer indicator., 1893-01-21
rME LEGISLATURE
= 0ossipy Letter Regarding tho AppsaA
anss and DoinEa OF Oar
LnWmnkcrp.
DENVER, January II, 1899.

LeWmhkorb.
DENVER January Ii, 1899.
The General Assembly after a wrangle ovei
| polls that lasted ten days and represented
| nearly 5000 OF state money In salaries, finally
broke the deadlock In the Senate, and on
Thursday. the 18th, the standing committees
81 both houses were announced. In the SEN
ate, the Populist-White Wing combine organ
zed that body and took all the plnms In the
way OF committees for the ''faithful", giving
! he Popuists the short end and leaving the Re
publican members In the consommc. SO Tar
Is the personnel OF the Senate cominlttecs is
concerned, II comprises the most experienced
members of that body and can therefore be
considered equal to an average that could
| lavc been made on more equitable partisan
| Ines.
Senator McGovney sounded the keynote of
| The reform element in the Senate. though
Republican himself, In the Introduction of a
| lumher OF resolutions intended 10 restrict the
appropriation of public moneys. One OF these
requires that the state auditor shall furnish to
| The senate within ten days careful statement
| Ji the probable available resources of the
| state for the coming two years, and that the
secretary of the Senate shall keep the same
| IN Tile i1r reference, so that the appfoptia-
| lions made by the General Assembly shall not
sxcecd the revenue.
| \ joint memorial to the Congress OF the
United States on the subject OF free coinage
has been promptly presented and passed. as
lins also one against the closing of the
Nurlds Fair on Sunday.
Though economy Is the watchword' among
tho Legislators generally, It Il significant fact
that appropriation bills form no small factor
If the whole number. Among those that
| have either been introduced or are beng In
enbatcd by the members preparatory TO
'pringihg on their unsuspecting colleagues,
are one approprating 100000 Tor the state
ditch at Graud Junction, and S150,O0o for
reservoir at Twin Lakes which provides for n
body of water six miles long aud two miles
wide and forty feet deep This Is in the in-
tcrcSt- OF irrigation of the lower Arkansas
valley and it is estimated that laS 900 acres
Of additional territory will he put under cutl-
vat on when the new reservoir Is completed.
A state road from Steamboat Spfiug3 to
North Park in Larmer county and state
bridge across the Arkansas In Prowcrs county
are among the smaller items of appropriation.
Some OF the Legislators are a good
leal exercised over the large slice Of war
ranis on the general fund that have been
purchased au Investment with money be-
longing 10 the school fund, and bill has
been introduced appropriatng the sum of
s6l9,OJO to redeem these warrants and repay
the school fund, aud allowing interest at tht
rate of 3la per cent. per annum from time of
such conversion. The warrants are chiefly of
1851 80 and ARE a remInisccnce of the famous
Seventh General Assembly.
The House has provided very strict rules
against lobbying and TO protect itself against
tue corrupt;ng Influences of the tnirl house.
which has or9twh!le been open sesame TO
The lloor OF that august body no longer nyails,
aud the uniuchy applicant must pcrforce walt
without the charmed circle,
The wheels CT legislation are not moving
smoothly vet they undoubtedly Will in
other week, bu, /: Is a noticeable fact that the
new members are frequently ovcrpogercl
with n sense of their own Importance and In
aginc themselves the oynosurc of all eyes, or
else they abnormally busy trying TO get
| a. md ind tt hero ~ a -
There are, of course. some level-hea1cd fel
lo"s who have settled down to buslncss and
10 not intend to manipulate or be manipu-
lated, to nny great extent. II ls too soon to
forecast any important legislation, but II Is
safe 10 say that some sort Of Railroad law
Will be passed.
One difference between the present aud
former legislatures, Hes in the fact that the
Popuii-t members elected from both the old
parties are little bit unsettled as to their cx-
act status. They arc good deal in reference
to the old inc politicians MS the newly landed
Irishman WAS In regard 10 the United States,
''agin the government So they are "agin"
the old politicians on general principles.
Despite the many vatlcinaiiuns In regard to
whnt Gov. Waite has done or is going to do
in the matter of appointments, your readers
may feel assured of one thing, that up TO
date he has done nothing lie has made no
pledges but listens patiently 10 everybody
and allows well-mcant advice to slide grace
fully through from one aurcle to the other
on limited tickets without any stop-over priv
iicgcs.
The candidates for the important Offices
are consequently in an unhappy state of I'M
certainty, that is very wearing on nerve tissue
well ns their finances.
The mysterious reticencc OF those supposed
to be close to his eScelency Is not born so
much of prudence, an inability TO tell what
the old gentleman intends to do. 1t is safe
then 10 advise all-anxious souls to 'wait,
meelsly wait and murmur not.'
In my next letter shall probably be able
to give the names of some OF the lucky ones
and show some of the secret springs influence
ing the acts Of Coiorndo's law makers.
The bill TO prevent the acceptance of rail-
way passes by members OF the legislature and
state officers Is no, likely to become n law By
anything like n unanimous vote. The novelty
of being able 10 familiarly pull out u little
pastcboard which Is merely loaned to the
conductor 10 register in his little book, as AN
equivalent for railroad ride, is too sweet to
be hastily Ignored. More anon.
SAND PAPER.