North Park union., 1902-03-07
THE LEGISLATURE.

Tfh6 House cOMmltteG ON cOtpOI8>
lions reported on the two railroad com
mlssion bills Inst Monday The
Pftschke measure was Indefinitely post
poned. and the Ballinger bill was sub-
mitted without recommendation
The Senate did q notable piece of
work Tuesday, when II passed the cum
nison tunnel bill by a decisive vote
During the afternoon the measure was
given Its first reading In the House.
and 1t is the Intention of Its supporters
to press II to an early vote.
The revenue bill is now ready to
emerge from the house committee OF
the whole. That committee Monday
afternoon completed Its consideration
Of the last sections, the amendmepts
being those necessary in order to trans
form the state board of assessors' sec
tions into scheme for state board
of equalization. The amendments were
ordered printed ms fast as the clerks
could prepare them for the printers.
There is strong sentiment growing
in the Legislature in favor of the Mon-
tana system of taxing mines. In Mon
tana the full gross production OF each
mine is taxed, after deductinS the cost
of extracting the same from the mine,
with the cost Of transportation and re-
ductlOn. This catches the great dlvi-
dend producers. and yet is fair to small
mine owners. 1t will undoubtedly meet
strong opposition from the mining
members. yet may he ucceded to as
compromise measure.
The next important measure to claim
the attention of the House will be the
Gunnison tunnel bill. Mr.. Hammond
claims that 1t will pass by II substan-
tlal majority. The fight over the
Bucklin Australasian tax constitution
al amendment will probably be fought
out on the floor of the House, the Bell
bill repeating the submission clause
furnishing the theme. 1t would seem
that the repealers have majority In
the House, while their opponents con-
troll the Senate.
AT its meeting in Pueblo February
10th, the Retail Grocers and Butchers
Association of Colorado elected the fol-
lowing named officers: George n. Ord
way of Denver, president: j. A. Gal
braith of Fort Collins, first vice presi-
dent; ]. II. Gardner of Victor, second
Vice president; W. F. Hazen of Law
son, third vice president: A. =. Nelson
of Canon City. fourth vice president;
G. " Richards of Denver, secretary;
w '
The next meeting will be at Denver, In
January next.
The revenue bill passed second read
Ing in the House Thursday afternoon.
The Senate should not take much time
in disposing of the bill. Practically
every point upon which IL conflict be-
tween the two bodies was feared has
been adjusted to the satisfaction of the
Senate. The measure should reach the
governor before the close of next week.
Prompt adjournment should follow its
passage. The representatives of the
mining counties renewed the fight Oh
the Neeley amendment and succeeded
In securing II modification. 1t Is sub
stantially the substitute presented by
Mr.. Sprague on Wednesday,. and which
was once adopted by the House by Il
majority of one. 1t was then reconsid-
cred and Mr.. Mcclure suggested i'm
portant amendments. 1t was in TINT
form 1t was adopted yesterday. 1t pro-
vldes that producers shall be assessed
on their smelter returns and non-pro-
ducers at not more than fifty per cent.
Of the lowest producer In the district.
Some of Its opponents threatened
to oppose the entire bill on third
reading IL the section were not
changed, but 1t Is not probable that
they can muster any great strength.
There is a general disposition to pass
the law up to the Senate In it's present
form. Insurance companies We're ex-
empted from the operations of the fiat
tax: the old rates of interest on delin-
Quent taxes We're restored, and 1t was
decided that all druggists must pay
the state liquor tax. When the final
vote was reached on the recommended
tions OF the committee of the whole,
only ten men opposed the bill while
forty-fOur voted for II.
wednesday was a warm day In the
House. The cause of it all was the
section Of the revenue bill providing
for the assessment of mining proper
ties. Two weeks ago the Neely amend
ment had been adopted by decisive
vote. 1t taxed all the mines, developed
and undeveloped. ut full cash value.
There was a general sentiment that
this legislation was too stringent, and
yesterday the attempt was made to
modify 1t. BY close vote the Briscoe
substitute. taxing producers at aifty
per cent. of their gross proceeds and
non-prOducers at not more than the
smallest producers was beaten. Some
of the Arapahoe members We're absent,
and 1t was charged that they We're en-
deavoring to dodge the recOrd-making
vote. These charges We're renewed
when few minutes later the mining
contingent sprung a surprise on their
opponents by securing the adoption of
the Spraguc amendment by vote of
% yeas to 81 nays. This proposition
had been prepared by Senator Hallett,