The silver star., 1899-03-23
WHAT THE COLORADO
LEGISLATURE is DOING.

biN'hSrioh itOuSt tDUltIttltt va
revision and constitution. Member
Montgomery holds that the bills are
clearly unconstitutional, and Chairman
Ballinger was at first inclined TO side
with him. But after the latter had read
the constitutional provisions over very
carefully he expressed his doubts and
said he really believed the bills were all
right. Mr.. Montgomery has offered 10
convince him of his error and the QusS-
'ion will be further discussed The
committee will report about fifteen sp-
preparation bills that call for money
from the internal Improvement fund
Governor Thomas has sen, to the Leg
islature statement of his views rela-
tive 10 the management of the iusane
asylum. His conclusions are that the
institution has been badly naced
but find that he has no authority 10 re
move the superintendent or the mem
bers Of the board Of control. He says.
THE nagement of the State Insane
Asylum for the past few years has
been most negligent. For this nesli-
cence the Board Of Commissions and
the superintendent are alike response
BILE. rigorous and systematic admin
istraton of the affairs by the board
! would of necessity have resulted in a
similar administration by the superin-
tendent." The governor recommends
larger appropriations for the asylum.
| Legislative practice as regards the
dealing out of patronage is to b,,
revolutionized by the Twelfth General
! Assembly unless the House undoes
the work that has been so carefully
accomplished by the Senate. A def
mite step in the direction of reform
was taken by the Senate the ether day
/ when II passed on third reading $.
/ b. No. 26. fhe McCreery salary bill
which reduces visibly both the num-
Der and the pay of the Assembly OFF,
GERS and employees. Under the law Of
I 1895 the last act of the Legislature
passed on the subject. the Senate is al
lowed sixty officers and employees. and
the House of Representatives seventy
officers and employees. making total
of 13o. The McCreery bill reduces the
total TO eightyfour. giving the Senate
thirty-seven and the house forty-seven
BY cutting off forty-six employees the
Legislature will save to the state
thousands of dollars annually
1 Friends of the antl-scrip bill. which
has been tied up in committee Of the
State Senate for several weeks past.
are beginning TO wonder whether the
W lii lOT llS llLe. "A
/ peculiarly about the measure IS that IL
/ passed the lower house by a unanimous
vote. fifty-nine members being present
when the roll was called. On reaching
the Senate the document was con-
/ signed to the tender mercies Of the
{ finance committee and there 1t has re-
malned. Ii is claimed that four MEN,
/ bers OF the committee are In favor OF
/ the bill. one is Indifferent and one is un-
alferably opposed. claiming that the
bill is unconstitutional. Several amend
ments have been insisted upon and Rep
resentative Bell. the father Of the meas
ure. accordingly drafted Ave minor
I amendments. which are acceptable 10
n majority Of the committee. The
amendments relate 10 warrants issued
by ditch. canal and reservoir companies
Those companies are accustomed. in
Colorado. TO issue warrants In the
spring TO be paid In the fall. and this
feature is permitted in the amendments
The bill has not reached a vote in the
Senate. but strong efforts nre being
made by Mr.. Bell and others Of the low
er house TO bring the bill TO the light Of
day before II is too late.
Governor Thomas has affixed his
official signature to what is commonly
known as the the elght-hour pilI.-
This bill. regulating the hours OF EN-
ployment in underground mines and in
smelling and ore reductions, passed
both the House and Senate without
amendment and becomes a law in It's
original form. Its full text Is as fol.
lows:
Section /. The period Of employ
ment OF workingmen In all under
gronrc mines or workings shall be
eight tsl hours per day. except in
eases OF emergency where life or prop
crfy is in imminent danger.
Sec. .. The period OF employment
OF workingincn In smolters. and In all
other institutions for the reduction or
refining Of ores or metals shall be
eight hours per day. except in cases OF
emergency. where lfe or property Is In
imminent danger.
Sec 3. Any person. body corporate.
ngens. manager or employer who shall
violate any OF the provisions Of Sec
tions one and two OF this act shall be
deemed guilty Of misdeincanor. and
upon conviction, shall he punished by
n fine OF not less than $50 nor more
thnn $500. or by Imprisonment no,
more than six months, or by both fine
and Imprisonment.
The bill Of Judge Kennedy to remove
the Soldiers and Sailors Home from
Monte Vista was brought up In the
House last Thursday and another
fight was prccipitnted on II. George
Smith and Messrs. Hammond. Law.
renee, Rawnlt. Montgomery. Short and
Clark spoke against the bill. The op.
position based It's objections on eco
nomIc grounds and the dcsertIon OF tho
quarters nj Monte Vista without max,
Ing provision for their occupancy
Nj. Hawalt declared II was mn Arnpn.
hoe county scheme. Messrs. Cannon
Elliott. Browning and Farris favored
the bill. The vote stood ~ 10 10 In
favor Of the bill The vote In dctnil
II ns follows: Ayes-Adnms. Bnilln
ger. Barnard. Bnrtels. Bradley, BrIscoe
Browning. Burwcli. Byron. Can
non. Casfetter. Dickers0n. Drnmm
Duncan. Dunlcavy. Elliott. Estes, Far
ris. Harter. Icrmond. IIollcnbcck. JEFF
fcrson. Judklns. Knmm. KendrIck
Kennedy Wurny). Kennedy d.nke)