The Monte Vista journal., 1899-06-17
GOSSIP FROM DENVER
AND THE STATE CAPITOL.

The American Smelling and Refining
company has agreed to Rrbitrate the
wage question with It's employees. says
the News. The smelter hands are Jubi-
hnt over the prospects Of peacea BILE
settlement Of the questions arising
from the enforcement Of the elxht-hour
law. Wednesday the corporation rec
ognized the existence Of the Denver
Smeltermen's union. James r. Grant.
chairman Of the advisory board, sent
for the president of the union to confer
with him Wednesday afternoon. The
company requested the union to ap-
point committee Of Ave employees
which met Mr.. Grant yesterday after.
and wages. 4 similar concession to
the employees OF the Globe smelter in-
dicates that the smelter owners are
willing to meet the question fairly and
arbltrate the differences. The commit
tee from the union was given n cour-
tdbus hearing by Mr.. Grant. who ask
cd the views of the union men regard
Ing the eight-hour law and the sched-
ule Of wages announced ut the Grant
plant June l.. The committee replied
that the demand Of the union would be
for regular pay OF twelve hours for
the elght-hour day. Mr.. Grant sub
mltted for the company schedule OF
wages the same Ms announced to the
men the first OF the month and said
the sme.tcr owners would stand firmly
by this proposition. The hour system
will be followed TO the letter. with an
option OF working eight hours or more.
The old scale of wages In force IN
1893 Is the maximum that the com
pnny will pay. The men objected to
this. II no satisfactory agreement can
Ike reached. the question will proba bly,
be submitted to the State Board OF
Arbitration.
The conference between the State
Board OF Equalization and the county
assessors. which opened here wednes-
day. will probably bc without result.
Assessor willard l.. Ames Of Arapahoe
standing ms he claims between the
railroad corporations and individual
taxpayers, is strongly opposing any
raise by assessOrs unless more taxes
are placed upon railroads by the state
board. that any favorable outlook Is
dubious. He is supported by the other
assessors. On the other hand. Attor'
ney General Campbell claims that the
railroad assessments ARE higher than
those levied on private property. Gov
ernor Thomas not only made u speech
nt the opening OF the meeting. In
which he referred to nm extra session
as dire alternative" hut later In the
day he urgently and eloQuently urged
the assessors TO take action to save
the credit OF the state. his speech ellie
iting much applause. Assistant Attor-
ncy General Reed says that the State
Board has the power 10 remedy the
present embarrassing situation con
ccrnlng assessments. He says: "Ths
board should take the bull by the
horns and use its constitutional pow
ers. The state constitution gives II
the right to epualize taxes NIL over the
state. and the statutes which attempt
to restrict this constitutional preroga.
tive should he ignored. The board
has power to go all over Colorado. into
every county. and equalizc valuations
Az conditions now are, horses In one
county are valued on n different basis
than horses In adjoining counties. /,
ix the same way with cattle and other
property, md to equalixe these vnlu.
ations Is the province Of the board. I,
has no absolute power to simply raise
valuations for the purpose OF securing
additional revenue. but In the process
OF equalization Of values In many
parts OF the state would necessarily
be raised. and the state would Be- res
cucd from the dilemma now confront
Ing H. iu making values conform ts
some agreed basis. II would Of neces
sity follow that the valuations Of Ara
pahoe county would he raised to con
form with valuations In other count
ties. and with the general schetiui,
agreed upon