La Junta tribune., 1902-03-01
PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXTRA
SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE

I The House committee on corpora
tons reported on the two railroad com
! mission bills last Monday. The
| Pitschke measure was indefinitely post
poned. and the Bailinger bill was sub
mitted without recommendation.
| In the House Judge Schweigert on
| behalf OF the committee appointed 10
! redraft the sections OF the revenue bill
relating 10 the Nat tax presented q
4, report Ii recommended that domestic
/ corporations pay . cents and foreign
| corporations 4 cents on each $1.OO OF
/ capital stock: no domestic corporation
with a capital stock or less than <2J,-
600 TO be faxed. Foreign corporate lions
with stock OF par vaine Of iess than 81
: TO be taxed ~ cents per 1000 shares.
| this last is intended 10 affect Colorado
promoters who are Incorporating COM
| panies In Wyoming In order that they
may issue stock CT a par value OF less
than 81. The committee also recon-
mended that insurance companies op-
Grating unde. the laws OF the state be
exempted from the tax. Mr.. Sprague
wished all domestic interpretations
with less than 100000 capital be ex-
empted. Mr.. Mcclure objected. con-
tending that one object OF the law was
to force corporations to make annual
reports to the auditor. The Sprague
proposition was defeated.
Wednesday was warm day in the
House. The cause OF II all was the
section OF the revenue bill providing
for the assessment of mining proper
ties. Two weeks ago the Necly amend
ment Ind been adopted by decisive
vote. II taxed all the mines, developed
and undeyelopcd. ut full cash value
There was n general sentiment that
this legislation was too stringent. and
yesterday the attempt was made to
modify II. BY close vote the Briscoe
substitute, taxing producers at fifty
per cent OF their gross proceeds and
non-producers at not more than the
smallest producers. was beaten. Some
OF the Arapnhoe members were absent,
and 1t was charged that they were en-
deavoring TO dodge the record-making
vote. These charges were renewed
when a few minutes later the mining
contingent sprung surprise on their
opponents by securing the adoption Of
the Spraguc amendment by a vote Of
- yeas to 81 nays This proposition
had been prepared by Senator Haliett.
and when presented its supporters had
no idea II would carry. Mr.. Mcclure
of Fremont arrived In the chamber.
however, In time to cast the deciding
vote for the amendment The situation
was dramatic In the extreme and pro-
duced some ill-feeiing. a call OF the
house was ordered and all the alb
sentees except Mr.. Bradley secured.
His opponents charged him with pur-
posely absenting himself. and 1t was
resolved at 4 o'clock in the Afternoon
that no more business would be trans
acted until he appeared. The House
remained In session. with the exception
of an informal recess. until o O'Clock.
while the sergeant-nt-arms, aided by
the police, seeured the city for the miss
Ing member. At the hour named It
was resolved to go on with btisfhess.
BY very close vote the Sprnguc vote
was reconsidercd. This left the Neeley
amendment still In the bill. Various
substitutes were offered, but all were
voted down. Finally It was determined
that the debate should be postponed
until this morning In the meantime
Mr.. Bradley had walked Into the
House ana had been taken into Gus
tody by the sergeant-at-arms. He was
put on trial aud declared that be had
been attending to private business and
did not know that he was required in
the House. The excuse was not nc
ccpted. BY large majority he was de-
clared In contempt and his punishment
fixed Mt ffhe OF $40 and a reprmand
by the Speaker.
The Buckley canal bin was taken up
by the Senate In committee OF the
whole. The first Important amend
ment was the striking out the portion
OF the bill that permits the employ
ment OF convict labor, so that the tln-
mel must be constructed by free labor.
Another change provides that IL the
bonrd employs superintendent. he
shall have n competent mining enEi-
ncer of Mt least i've years experience.
Senator Arthur thought that II the
state was in no way liable. there was
NO reason why the governor aud audit
| or should sign the certificates. and
| asked for information. Senator Ward
| explained that the governor received
| monthly reports on the construction OF
the tunnel. and II any time he found
any reason for doing so, he might with
(, hold his signature. Senator Stewart
objected to the considering of the bill
| at nll. He thought II should have
been left out OF the call, and that the
members were going TO get into seven
different kinds of trouble IL they were
not careful He wanted to amend the
the bill 80 as to let the board be ap-
| pointed from any part of the state.
Senator Buckley made "A strong appeal
to the members to grant this. almost
the first request the western slope had
ever made. Democracy for the west
ern slope" he went on. els before the
bar OF the Senate. and by the dictates
| of this body 1t will rise or fall. Too
long hnve we been beggnrs at the
doors Of the great parties of the state.
Too long have we asked In vain Of the
| people OF the eastern portion of the
state. The people OF the western slope
have seldom asked anything OF the
state OF Colorado. II this were the reg.
ular session, and the appropriation bill
not passed. you would not dare to op-
pose this bill for fear OF combina ton