Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-02-19
Legislative Doings.
Boise. Feb. 6. 1897.

Boise, Feb. 6, 1897.
EDITOR FREE PREss.-Since the
election of the U. s. senator both
houses Of the legislature are ear
nestly endeavoring to dispose OF
the great mass of business before
them. So far the most has been
accomplished by the killing off of
bills, both in the house and senate.
Yesterday the senate disposed of
the bill which provided for the re-
peal of the law which gives to the
school district where collected 80
per cent. Of the license money, and
applied the amount to the general
school fund. The sentiment in
the senate was overwhelmingly in
favor of allowing the bill to stand
as it now is. A similar bill is
pending in the house, but owing to
the action of the senate it will
probably be indefinitely postponed.
The house in committee of the
whole has recommended for pas
sagd a bill amending the law
which specifies what property
shall be exempt from taxation.
The principal changes are in re-
regard to church properties, which
under proposed law will be ex-
empt only to extent of IS, 200;
farmers bitches, owned and used
by the owners of the land are ex-
empted also. The clause relating
to exemption of mining claims was
changed, so that non-producing
claims shall be exempt. There
seems to be strong sentiment in
favor of some method by which
the rich mining corporations be
made to pay q just proportion of
the expenses of government. The
sentiment in the senate however,
seems to be to exempt all mines
and mining claims from taxation,
as they have passed a bill to that
effect. Private libraries which
are at present exempt, are exempt
ed only to the extent of 5000. A
bill was introduced yesterday
which provides for the creation Of
the county of Clearwater, from
portions of Shoshone, Nez Perez
and Idaho counties, with tempo
rary county seat at Pierce City.
In accordance with requests from
citizens of Idaho county her repre-
sentatives will oppose the measure,
so far at it takes from us any of
our territory. There is q strong
sentiment against any county d.
vision, although the justice of de-
mand for a separation of the north
and south parts of Shoshone county
is recognized.
Acting on the pledge made by
all parties to retrench expenses, a
new apportionment bill has been
introduced in the senate, which re-
duces the number of representa-
tives to % instead of 40 as at
present. Under the new law,
Should it pass) Ada, Bannock,
Canyon, Fremont, Kootenai, La
tab and Shoshone counties would
have two representatives each, all
other counties one. The represen-
tation in the senate to remain the
same, one from each county.
Two bills in which the citizens
Of Idaho county are directly in
terested have been introduced, one
in the senate by Harris, of Wash
ington county, which provides for
the completion of the Salmon
river division of the state wagon
road and appropriates $12, 900
therefor. The bill in the house
was introduced by Gray of Koote-
hal, and provides for the compile
ton of both the Salmon river di-
vision and the one in Kootenai
county, appropriating $1,000 for
the Kootenai branch, $4,000 for
the Salmon river branch. The
outlook for the passage of one of
these bills is very good in the
house, with the senate very doubt
full. County officials from all over
the state are arriving in the CAPT.
tai to fight the proposed fee bill,
and while believe there will be |
some legislation in this regard, I
do not believe the reduction will
be as radical as at first proposed. |
1t is hard to frame a measure that |
will be just to all the counties. A |
strenuous effort will be made to |
enact some railroad legislation,
but many believe that the true
policy of Idaho Is not to show hos
ility to railroads but to encourage
heir building SO our latent re-
sources may be developed. F.