Gilpin observer., 1899-02-23

killed in the Senate.
Senator FELTON, came to the defense
or DIR. Thombs, superintendent Of the
insane asylum. in speech which oc-
cupied one whole day.
Another disgraceful encounter took
place in the Senate Monday. Senators
Stewart and Philip We're the partici-
pants. But for the Intervention Of
friends it is believed they would have
come to blows.
A large and enthusiastic meeting
was held in Representative hall Mon
day night, when leading citizens of
Denver appeared before the temper
ance committee in behalf of the local
option bill Although the opposition
had been invited to be on hand, none
of them appeared. 1t has been a long
time since the church and moral ele
ment in the community have been so
united on political measure.
The joint meetings of finance and ap-
preparations committees of House and
Senate have nearly reached the sought
for end-revenue measures that will en-
able the state to meet it's obligations for
the ensuing two years. The commit
tees have evolved revenue measures
that will, the members think, bring in
81, ,700,0 900 of revenue for the two years
coming This is $50O,000 more than
was at first thought possible. A close
canvass of the bills carrying appropria-
tions introduced in both branches
places the sum at $1,32O.O00.
The residents of Rio Grande county
favor the passage of Senator Taylor's
bill, No. 235, for the bonding of judg-
mentS against counties. Senator Roe
is in receipt of a letter from his constit-
uents, represented by Chairman w. ].
Clark of the Board of County Commits
sioners, lin which he is urged to lend
his aid in support of the Taylor bill.
Under its terms, the writer states, the
county of Rio Grande would be en-
abled to pay off its judgment indebted
ness within fifteen years. for the rate
of interest payable would be reduced
from eight to five per cent.
Governor Thomas has signed II. B.
No. 1856, to pay the expenses of the
executive and judicial departments for
the first four months of the fiscal year
and portion of the legislative eNpen-
ses for the first three months. There
is section added to the bill recreating
the old auditing board and providing
that it shall handle the contingent eX-
pense accounts of all state officers. AS
there is no part of the title that pro-
vides for the board, it will have as H.
legal an existence as during the past
two years. Instead of apportion-
ing contingent funds to the different
departments one fund of $4,000 is
given to the auditing board, which is
supposed to divide it properly. The
state auditor is to place iii his biennial
n~k e.Nn l,@xr
the contingent fund has been eX-
pended.
Representative Bell is not satisfied
with the refusal of the Supreme Court
to pass upon his anti-truck system bill,
but believes the action of that body is
decidedly in favor of the bills fulfill
ing all constitutional requirements.
my bill is, I think" he said, 'far
more Of a public question than is Sen
ator Thomas district consolidation
bill. Workers in mines all over the
state are vitally Interested in it. The
Supreme Court has already twice
passed upon truck system bills. Two
years ago reason given for not giving
a specific answer was that no question
was asked on specific point. To COW
er that objection l detailed forty-one
decide. Not all the questions were
necessary, but asked them all so that
all the points might be covered. l do
not think the court has done as it
should. But the court did not declare
the bill unconstitutional, and evidently
evaded n point that might come be-
fore 1t at some later time. That leads
me to believe the bill is all right"
1f
all parts of the state are to be seen
about the legislative halls these days
bent on similar missions, all relating
to the alteration of the existing game
law. Their interest seems to center i'm
the Senate, in which body three meas
ures for the relief of the huntsmen
have been introduced. The one which
has met with the greatest favor is that
fathered by Senator Taylor. 1t is sim
pie in its provisions. but strikes the
point that has been aimed at since the
passage Of the law of 1897. 1t ex
tends the open season on deer to No
vember list instead of October 18th.
thus giving the residents of the west.
ern slope at least three weeks of hunt
ing, while 1t arranges for sixteen
day open season on elk, from October
25th to November 9TH. But one fault
has been found with this bill. 1t does
not remedy the defect in the old law
which enabled the El Paso County
Court to declare 1t unconstitutional.
namely. the title, "Fish, Forestry and
Game" the constitution requiring that
the title Of one law shall relate to only
kindred subjects. However. 1t is
promised that this defect shall be re-
moved by amendment.
Governor Thomas hos aftixad HE CT,
nature to measure which many
members of the assembly believe to be
among the most important likely to be
passed this session. The bill is S. B.
No. IL, and provides for submission to
the qualified electors of the state of
amendments to the constitution. The
amendment to be submitted nrnyilns