The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1899-03-11

s'ASSA"tAVH SaW NJ 10 lena
to the Dill and it was pushed
through the house. It went TO
the senate and there a strange and un-
preccdented thing happened. The bill
was amended to carry live commits.
siOners Instead of three. It was sent
back to the house and repassed as
amended. Now, note this: Four of
the commissioners appointed by the
governor were members of the legisla-
ture-three senators and one represen-
tative. The fifth member Of the com
mission was the governors main polit-
zeal henchman. The public will form
its own conclusions respecting the mo.
tives which inspired legislative body
to create FIVE positions where three
were ample and then Gil four-fifths of
them from their own body. 1t is, of
course, possible that outside of the leg
islature there were no lawyers capable
of discharging the difficult duties of
code commissioners, but it is the more
remarkable that not one member of
the commission had ever before shown
any symptoms of professional capacity,
unless exception be made of c. H.
Hays of whom it may be said that
honesty of purpose and good intentions
are distinguishing characteristics. AS
to Frank Martin, Jim Watts, Frank
Fogg and Phil. AVeritt let the fame of
their works speak for itself. AS they
are unknown, they should pass without
Censure. Obscurity is their sole rec
0mmendation. But as it is said that
the governor refused to appoint a dis
tinguished lawyer because be could not,
or would not. "reciprOcate political ia.
vOrs," we may be able to discover the
motives which animated his exceIlency.
A little thing happened in the house
few days ago which speaks volumes
for the political ssgacity of the Steun-
enberg administration. 1t has been
the pride and boast of the governor
and his friends that economy had been
practiced with such vigor that there
would be no deficiencies what
ever, and this had been said so often
that great many people had come to
believe it and plan was cOncocted to
prove it. The general deficiency bill
was held in committee until the time
had arrived for crush" work when
most bills are passed under suspension
of the rules. A bill was introduced
appropriating money to pay nearly
$4,000 of deficiencies and it slipped
along without attracting much no.
tice. The members knew that the bill
related to deficiencies under the Steun.
enberg administration, and knowing
that it would pass the house paid very
little attention to it until it came up
for third reading and final passage.
The friends of the administration were
congratulating themselves on the sue
cess of the scheme and how they were
going to fasten about $4,000 of Steun-
enberg deficiencies on the Mcconnell
administration when Representative
Kingley of Ada county all at once dis
covered the trick. The title of the bill
recited that the appropriation was for
1897 and 1898 deficiencies, or in other
words for the payment of debts in
CURED by the Steuuenberg Rdministra-
ton. But in the body of the bill the
dates 1895 and 1886 were inserted so as
to make the law read that the apprO-
preparation was made to cover debts in.
Cured in 1895 and 1896, or during the
Mcconnell administration. If the bill
had passed as it had been cunningly
designed, a simple change of dates in
the title would haye made the fraud
complete, and there would no where be
any evidence available to the public
.hot tto-o bod baen trapoandous da6cits