The La Jara chronicle., 1905-02-03
COLORADO LEGISLATURE

i
years 1905 and 1906. was passed by
the House on third reading. also
House bill IL. for the payment OF a
part of the expenses of the State In
tustrial School for the same period.
During the past fiscal year Frank 8.
Tesch, commissioner OF insurance, re-
ceived in fees from insurance compa-
nies the sum of $1G3. 3.103.94. Since the
close Of the year he has received
$5S6.55. His expenditures In the fiscal
year were 16,527.01. leaving a balance
of $146,576.93 turned over to the treas
urer.
The largest single fee ever paid to
the state of Colorado by an insurance
company was paid to Deputy Commits
sioner Frank s. Tesch January 20th.
In the shape Of a check for 13,G71.99
by the New York Life Insurance Com
pany. The amount was due the state
as a three per cent tax on aggregate
premiums for 1904, together with $55.
the regulation fee.
Representative Keezer has intro
duced a bill to prevent the larceny of
The domestic fowl" and to provide that
the stealing of such fowls after the
hour Of the setting of the sun shall be
grand larceny. The bill is aimed at an
yer a year or two ago and which has
been a lively one In Larimer county
during the present winter.
A Joint memorial introduced by Sen
ator Taylor protests against the repeal
OF the desertland laws. The memo
rial recites that the present desert
land laws facilitate the requirement of
homes by certain Of our citizens by re-
claiming and developing numerous
small inter-mountain valleys that can
not be reclaimed under any other law,
and have been Of great benefit in the
| development of this state, operating
satisfactorily wherever their provis-
| ions have been carried out in good
| faith.
The Fifteenth General Assembly Is
| the first within the memory OF man
wherein some attempt has not been
made by a Spanish speaking member
to secure an interpreter for his
thoughts. From the days of the old
| territorial legislature, when the Span
| ish speaking members made up much
greater percentage OF the member
ship, to the present, each legislature
has been beseeched to furnish inter
prefers. The fourteenth refused to
employ them, which may have been
being made upon the Fifteenth.
| House joint memorial No. /. by Mr.
Baer. was referred to the committee
on federal relations. 1t asks Congress
that the act approved January 13, 1897.
relating to the construction of storage
reservoirs for free stock water. upon
the unoccupied public lands of the
| United States be amended SO as to pro-
| tsida
| springs and water seeps to be cleaned
out and fenced. and the waters con-
Quoted on the outside of said reser.
| voirs or troughs and in less quaint.
| ties than now required by the regula.
ton of the Interior Department and
that the same may be kept for the free
use of range stock.
There was a lively discussion in the
House over the question of printing in
| Spanish 500 copies of the messages
of Governors Peabody and Adams.
| Representative Garcia called up the
subject and for over an hour the mem
| bers fought over 1t. Representative
Street thought 240 copies copies should
| be enough. Frewen declared that Col.
orado had the finest school system In
the world, and that II voters couldn't
read English it was their own fault,
and the Legislature shouldn't condone
1t. Garcia was indignant and the de-
bate became heated. Finally the res
olution was adopted as introduced, pro-
viding for the printing of 500 copies OF
the messages in Spanish.
A, bill introduced in the House by
Messrs. DUNCAN and Alexander pro
vides for the selection by the governor
of railway commission of three mem
bers. These commissioners shall re-
ceive the salary of $500 each, a sec.
retary at $1,000 year. one clerk at
$1,000 and a stenographer at SIS per
month. They may also employ such
other clerical assistance as the office
shall need. The commissioners are to
have complete charge of the railway
business of the state. to regulate
rates. compel the roads to furnish cars
at points where desired. The bill pro-
hibits the issuance of passes. save to
employees and in a few other instances
that 1t specifically names.
Secretary r. r. Leese of the State
Board of Equalization has issued his
biennial report He makes but one
recommendation, and that is in regard
to foreign car companies. Many of
the car companies neglect to pay any
taxes because the amounts are nomi-
nal and the collectors do not press the
claims. To remedy this he says: 1T
Is suggested that the law be amended
so as to require these companies to
pay their taxes direct to the state
treasurer and allow the latter to appor-
tion the same among the different
counties. Many of the states require
all corporate taxes to be paid direct to
the state instead of requiring pay
ments to be made to each county sep
arately, and certainly for the above
reason this would be advisable as to
foreign car lines"
Another attempt is to be made to
fund the old excess warrants. A bill
has been introduced by DR.. w. w.
McEwen of Las Animas county In the
lower house. 1t is a bill to amend sec
tion three of article five of the state
constitution, and was drawn by Attor
ney General Miller in accordance with
the recommendations of former State
Treasurer Newton. A floating indebt-
edness of about 100000 in state war
rants has been running since 1887.
about five-eighths of the warrants be-
ing held in the school fund. which. the