Gilpin observer., 1905-02-02
COLORADO LEGISLATURE


years 1905 and 1906, was passed by
the House on third reading, also
House bill II. for the payment Of
part OF the expenses of the State In
dustrial 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 $163, ,1O3.94. Since the
close of the year he has received
I5S6.55. His expenditures in the fiscal
year were $16, 6,527.01, leaving 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 goth,
In the shape Of a check for $13.671.99
by the New York Life Insurance Com
pany. The amount was due the state
as three per cent. tax on aggregate
premiums for 1904, together with $55,
the regulation fee.
Representative Keezer has intro
duced 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 lively One in Larimer county
during the present winter.
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
x-id ho twill nf a11nwfp o
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 lively discussion in the
House over the question of printing in
Spanish 800 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 it. Representative
Street thought 240 copies copies should
be enough. Frewen declared that Col
orado had the finest school system in
the world, and that If 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 a railway commission of three mem
| bers. These commissioners shall re-
ceive tie salary OF $500 each, a sec.
retary at $4,000 e year, one clerk at
$1,000 and a stenographer at SIS per
month. They may also employ such
J.. other clerical assistance as the Office
shall need. The commissioners are tc
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 it 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.
ton 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"