The Grit-advocate., 1903-03-06

berS pledge themselves to go in body
as members of the Colorado I.egisla-
ture. Nearly all the members willing
ly signed the paper.
Senator Rush's bill No. II. prohibit.
ing the state board of land commission
ers from selling timber less than four
teen inches in diameter from school
land. was agreed to in the Senate on
second reading, after having been
amended by the addition of several
features suggested by Senator Taylor's
bill No. 102, making it the duty of
school directors to notify the land
board of enCroachments on state tim
Der land
The Senate decided on Saturday,
February 2Sth. to hold no session the
next Wednesday. On that day the
members arranged to visit the agri-
cultural college at Fort Collins and the
normal school at Greeley. This de-
cision was reached after considerable
discussion, part of the members 60
ing on record as being opposed to
''junketing" tours. The final vote was
Is to 10 in favor of a resolution to take
the trip Around the Horn"
The Stephen eight-hour bill was
passed by the House February 2Sth
and went to the Senate. Before it's
passage Mr.. Whinnery and Mr.. Gar
man tried to have the bill amended,
which could only be done by unanim-
Gus consent. Some one being ready
to object to each proposal, no amend
ment was agreed to. On third reading
Mr.. Garman stated he thought the bill
was ineffective. Rather than assist in
putting such law upon the state
statutes. he voted against it. and
would take chances with his people.
Mr.. Kelley voted against it. as he said
it was not an eight-hour bill. Mr.. Nor
rs, Mr.. Morgan and Mr.. Paul each
protested against the form of the bill,
but felt constrained to vote for it. Mr.
Tomkins declared the enemies of the
measure had accomplished their OBJ
ject, but he would have to vote for it
as an eight-hour bill. Mr.. Whinnery
declared he would vote for anything
that looked like an eight-hour bill. Mr..
RVhyte called the attention of the
House to the criticisms that had been
passed upon the committee on mines
and mining because it had taken
long time in reporting an eighthour
bill. I'VE proceeded as carefully as
we could" said Mr. Whyte, "and finally
reported, out the bill upon the demand
of the House. Now, after spending
two and one-half days fighting over
the bill and amending it, members of
this House are declaring that the bill
is still not satisfactory. 1t seems to me
that the criticisms of the committee
were hasty and unwarranted." The
bill passed by vote of SO to 3, there
being nine members not voting.
Additional facts. which are expected
to influence the passage of the Griffith
bill to save the state the losses incurred
by abuses of the mileage privilege by
boards of control of state institutions
were sprung yesterday at the capitol,
says the Denver Republican of Febru-
airy Goth. 1t was shown from vouchers
on file in the auditors Office that five
members of the state board of control
of the deaf and blind school collected
for mileage in 1901 and 1902. s2.2O2 55:
that during the same years the board
of control tthree mc1j of the indus
trial school for boys collected S2,324.20,
and that the three penitentiary COM
missioners collected in tine same period
S2.770.93. The total bill for mileage
paid by the state the last four years
aggregates $l3,529.9O. Notwithstanding
the eleven men holding these positions
Travelled on railroad passes and are
presumed to have spent none of the
cash received from the state for rail-
nd fare. Each of the penitentiary
commissioners, it appears, received
during 1901 and 1902. 5000 or $3.50 a
60
is made that when member w. G.
Hines of Trinidad attended a meeting
of the board at Canon City, he charged
for a round trip from Trinidad to that
city. and for another round trip from
Trinidad to Buena Vista. although he
covered both towns on the same trip
and the distance from Canon City to
Buena Vista is comparatively short.
and one charge from Trinidad to
Canon City with an additional charge
for railroad fare from Canon City to
Buena Vista and back to Canon would
have sufficed to reimburse him for all
moneys paid on this account. The same
conduct is charged against Louis King
of Ouray. Governor Peabody has re-
quested the state board of charities and
corrections, on advice OF Attorney
General Miller. to file specific charges
against John r. Schermerhorn mem
Der of the board of control of the in
dustrial school for boys. who is accused
by the vouchers on file with the auditor
of collecting eXtortionate sums for
mileage between Denver and Golden,
for more frequent trips than his duties
are presumed to have required. The
charities board is to furnish the evil
denCe to sustain the allegations of mis-
conduct. 1t is not known whether the
trial of Schermerhorn can be forced
before the Griffith bill comes up for
consideration in the Senate. because
Schermerhorn is in California and is
not expected to return for three weeks.
The Griffith bill allows no per diem
and no mileage for the trustees of the
eleemosynary and corrective institu-
HtiolO and permits charging only for
yActual expenses incurred while attend
f.