, 1900-08-23
LAWS
TO BE REVISED

Denver. Aug. 1S.-The commission of
prominent citizens appointed some time
ago by Governor Thomas to consider
the g laws of the state have be
Gun to discuss the subject. Some rad
Teal changes in the existing laws are
being considered.
The mere skeleton may perhaps be re
tanned, but n radically different super
structure will be erected upon it, AL
though the commission took very little
radical action the trend of the discus
sion showed that the members intend
to draw up Il law which will still keep
Colorado within her and keep
her from being Il s~pendthrift debtor
state. whatever changes in her laws
may be involved.
The discussion did not hinge always
on how to get more revenue. but fire.
quently upon how TO make the reve-
nue. AT hand go farther. Retrenchment
was the hobby of several of the mem
bers, and they succeeded in impressing
Ii others with the necessity of plac-
ing in the new revenue laws sufficient
restrictions upon the state officials to
make them keep within their appro-
priations. The matter of state insti-
tutions and their management when
discussed showed that n consolidation
of the penal and charitable institutions
under II set of officers, and a CONSOLE
datiOn of the state educational inStitu-
ton in the same way to be feasible
and probably advisable.
The main question in regard to state
revenue rose over II proposition to in
troduce in the new laws II clause Civ
ing the State Board of Equalization
power to limit the state lcvies. This
I,r.rnlt ~, tho oil ti,rIt of tn. .,tInt,
against the state. The state considers
that it is robbed by the present pro-
cedurc of county assessors. In order
to make the taxation for the state as
light as possible the assessors make
low assessments. When II comes To
raising revenue for the county the as-
SCISSORS make a large levy. probably
three times as great rs the state levy.
The suggested limitation of the state
levy will make il impossible for cOun-
~ assessors to make such low assess
ments and then make up county cN-
penses 10y high lcvies.
ON this matter there was a difference
of opinion and Judge Il. T, Wells was
appointed to look into the constitution
ality of the power which it is proposed
to put into the hands of the State
Board of Equalization.
Joseph a. Israel was the chief cham
pion of retrenchment. In the Legisla-
ture of 1891 Mr.. Israel introduced Il bill
providing for Il consolidation of all the
penal and charitable institutions in the
state. He presented practically the
same proposition yesterday and under
took to show by argument the feasibii-
ity of his scheme and Ii benefits that
would result from II. One manage
ment. he said, could easily run all the
institutions, as The business to he done
for each was nbout the same. \ great
er publicity could he given accounts,
which are now practically kept secret.
by this consolidation he thought near
ly 100000 could he saved to the state.
In the same line senator Buckley
suggested the consolidation of all the
education Institutions, provided the
constitution would permit. Should
this plan prove constitutional. boards
of control could be- abolished and one
board he appointed for the educational
institutions. TO have rooms in the capi-
toll building. and 10 transact all bust
ness there. The necessity of having the
men on this board rs far removed from
politics as possible was strongly adj
vised. and he advised also that those
serving on the board should be obliged
to give their whole attention to the
work. and should he remunerated ac-
cordlngly.
I The taxation Of %litigants was another
subject taken up. The discussion was
along the line of making courts self
supporting. Upon those persons using
the courts the sustaining of the courts
should fall. and therefore u tax upon
all legal instruments. would he adVls'
able. \ levy of - cents for all instru.
ments filed in District Courts was sug,
gested, and 80 cents charge for all in
| functions and mandamuses. This, II
was calculated. would bring in n
nue. of S4O,ONO.
The following other suggestions We're
| discussed;
To pay the assessors n commission
instead of n salary and thus make
them more likely to make high assess.
mcuts ON behalf of the state.
To turn all railroad taxes into the
state treasury, instead of into the
counties.
To make lcssees of state land pay an
annual tax on IL,
To save the umOun usually appro-
prtntcd for Internal Improvement by
turning IL over to the capitol fund,
The board will meet this morning NJ
10 o'clock and will continue It's sessions
until some sort of revenue laws are
framed.