The record-union., 1897-02-06

twenty-five days. the second of thirty
five, or such other division as may
seem best. Between these two divis-
ions the interim shall be one of not less
than thirty nor more than sixty days.
During the first part of the session all
bills, joint and concurrent resolutions
introduced and printed. During the
second part no bills shall be intro
duced except by consent of three
fourths of the Senate or Assembly.
In the interim, when the members
shall have temporarily returned to their
homes, the bills will be carefully stud
led, will be discussed thoroughly by
press and by people, the legislators
will profit by consultation and advice
with and from their constituents, and
will be ready to return to the Capitol
with fairly clear ideas of all measures
before them and of what action they
intend to take.
So says Mr.. Caminetti, and, in effect,
it would seem as if he had struck upon
a practical applica ton of the refer
endum before the fact" since the
great voice of the people would be
sure to make itself heard during that
interim, though not in legal way.
There seems to be a growing convic~
ton that legislation must be syste-
matized in some way and rescued from
the congested condition which now pre-
walls.
STATE HIGHWAYS.
The State highway bills still 1inger
with the subcommittee of the Road
and Highways Committee. Chairman
Clark says that he expects to weave
the five or six measures under conSid
Grafton together with ideas of the
members of the committee into an ON
nibus bill, which shall cover the ground
effectually. The bills from the Bureau
of Highways and the Caminetti bill
and the report may be completed to-
day.
Caminetti introduced yesterday the
second in a series of three bills on
roads. His State bill is before the
committee, the second one relates to
county highways, and a third, in prep
purpose is to make the whole work
tremendously together. both as to con-
struction and as to finance.
PRINTING MATTERS.
In the Retrenchment Committee some
progress was made yesterday after
noon. The matter of the printing of
10000 copies of the State grammar
had been looked up. 1t was claimed
that these We're of the old edition and
had been printed despite an order from
the State Board of Education to the
contrary. The facts discovered by the
committee are these: The new edition
of the grammar being under way, but
not ready, the State Board had noti-
fed the State Printer that no more
Of the old edition would be needed.
This was not in the form of an order,
since the State Board disclairns such
authority. Meantime, the supply of old
grammars in the printing office was ex-
hausted and orders from all over the
State to the number of several thou
sand were received. The matter was
urgent, and 10000 copies were printed.
Of these but 1000 now remain in the
office.
In the matter of the legislative
printing for 1895, where, it was
claimed the original estimate of 800
grew to $500, it was found, on refer
ence to the Senate journal of that ses-
sion that the first small order of Sem
ator Smith was, later on, supplemented
by an order for 10000 more copies-a
fact which accounts for that charge.
The other charges will be considered
to-day and the State Printer subpe-
naed
Meantime the committee is consider
ing ways and means to reduce the great
bulk Of printing and the great burden
of expense in this office.