The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1897-02-06
LEGISLATURE OF IDAHO
PROGRESS OF THE WORK IN CUT
TING DOWN SALARIES.
How the Eight-Hour Bill Passed in
the Senate and the Deficiency
Judgment Bill in the Mouse.

Boise, Idaho, Jan Sl.-During the past
week more activity mas been shown in
general legislation. The salary ana lee
bills in the senate and the deficiency
Judgment bill in the house have been the
leading topics of debate.
In the discussion of the salary bill in the
senate, Harris, the author of the BILL con-
tended that at the time the present sal
aries were fixed the cost OF living was
more than double what it is now.
Bennett and Turner of Bingham, OPP
posed the cutting of the salary of the
superintendent of public instruction to
$1,000. saying that the state could not get
a competent man for SO small sum-
On the other hand Bessett and Cough
amour thought there were plenty OF COM
petent teachers who would be very will
ling to hold the office at the figure named,
and the amendment prevailed for the
time being, but later in the week it was
reconsidered and the salary fixed at
$500.
An amendment TO fix the salaries of the
justices of the supreme court at $25OO
was lost and the $1,000 figures remained IN
the bill.
An amendment to fix the salaries of the
district judges at $1,000 was defeated as
also one 10 make it $500 and $780, and it
was LETT as IN the Dill at SAuUU
The bill fixes salaries as follows Gov
ernor, $1,000; secretary of state, $500;
state auditor, $780, state treasurer $1,000;
attorney general, $780, justices of the
supreme court, $1,000; judges of the dis
trict court, $1,000.
Davis Fee Bill.
There was also considerable talk in
the senate over the Davis fee bill, regu-
lating the fees and compensation of coun-
ty officers. Coryell claimed that II the
bill was passed the officers could not
make a living.
A motion to reduce the fee for record
ing mining claims to 81 was opposed on
the ground that it would have tendency
to encourage prospectors TO record worth
less claims and the amendment was Vot-
ed down. 1t was agreed that the fees ac-
cruing in land office business should be
included in determining the compensa-
ton of the clerk of the district court.
Settlers are obliged to execute many pa
pers before the clerks and hitherto there
has been no law requiring the clerks 10
report the fees received from this source.
A debate was precipitated over the mo-
ton of Young to increase the sheriff fee
for serving summons or complaint from OF
cents to 70 cents. Harris contended thaI
in many small counties it was necessary
to make up the sheriff 5 minimum from
the treasury, and that if these fees were
cut litgants would be relieved and the
burden thrown on the taxpayers. Davis
of Oneida declared that his county hao
been paying its sheriff $4,000 year, while
there were plenty of good men who Woulc
be glad to do the work for $500. Davis Of
Boise said that his county had received
only about $1100 last year. The amend
ment to increase the fee from 90 cents tc
70 cents was finally defeated. Further
consideration of the bill was postponed
for a week.
After a lively debate, during which the
Bible was quoted on both sides, the bill
to abolish capital punishment, was rec
commended by the committee of the Who'll,
to be indefinitely postponed.
The Eight-HOur Measure.
When Benefits bill making eight hour'
a days work in mines and mills Wa'
taken up in committee of the whole O.
the senate, CoughanOur opposed it on thu
ground that it would work an injustice Il
mine owners. He asked the senators t.
let the 10-hour system alone, until they
were thoroughly satisfied that the pro
posed change would not do more harm
than good. In advocating the bill Ben
nett said that he had been told by tn
manager of the DeLamar mine that tn
eight-hour system would not injure tn
company, adding that it would be bette
for the men and for society at large t.
give the men more time for self-improve
ment Young said the bill would increas
the number of men at work in the Occur
d'Alenes, adding 300 400 10 the pa,
rolls. The bill was recommended for pas
sage.
state Timber Lands.
In supporting his bill to define the pow
ers and duties of the state board of lam
commissioners, Nelson stated that a
the law now was the state could not SCI
its timber land for the reason that a
the present time the state has not &C
ouired enough land to make the neces
sary improvements to get the timber. TIL
proposed amendment would give q.
board of land commissioners the power
act When they acquired more land an
the state could sell the timber froI
what it now has. The bill was approved
The House on Deficiency Judgment
Randoph's bill relating to deficienc
judgments was finally approved in tn
house, but not without much opposition
, The bill provides that when a sale ha
once been ordered in foreclosure proceed
ings and when the proceeds OF the sal
are found insufficient, no judgment ca
again be docketed for the balance.
Waters declared that the bill was in OF
position to the laws of contract. When
man borrows any sum of money, agree
to pay that much and his note is tn
contract. The borrower is none the les
liable for that note when the propert
given as security depreciates, addin
that such a law would prevent the Loan
ing of money.
Taking the other side Perkins saiC
mortgages are the curse Of this coui
try and if this bill would do away wit
the loaning of money, with property
security, it would be the salvation of oil
nation" He continued by saying tn;
in a time Of depression the forced sale
property would only add to the wealth
the moneyed class and aid in the buildir
I'D of a landed aristocracy.
Clawsons bill providing that count
commissioners shall not extend the tin
Of navmant of outstanding indebt edne