The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-02-18
RIVER FRANCHISE LAW
REPEAL BILL BEFORE SENATE
Passes Hsnse After Lengthy and Aerirno-
nisas Diseassion-Law ls All Right.
Hat Republican Legislators Are Afraid
to TFHst Their omeials.

One Of the most interesting and
spirited debates Of ths session tcOk
place In the lower house Of the legis,
latuFe over the repeal Of the river i'm.
DrOTemsnt franchise Lac which par
tieHlaFiy affects the northern part OF
the state. As published In the Preas
last week, by vote OF IS 10 Is tha
house Of representatives voted 20 re-
peal the river improvement franchise
Law. The vote was preceded by 4
spirited debate, the northern mem
bsFs generally speaking and voting
for ths repeating measure. spauld-
Ing, Sage and France we're the only
members from the fys northern
counties Who voted against the bill
The vote follows:
Ayes-Adkis5n, Ainsy, Anderson.
Ashley, Auibanh. Beunlon. Bush.
Christensen, Donaldson, Fluid, Good
Night, GoFby, Gray, Hamil. Jensen.
johnson, Logus, Magill, Mckiniay.
MuliAisy, Porter, PoweFs, Richards
u Bear Lake, Schutt. Smith Of i.alah,
stephens, Thomas, Turner IS.
Nays Avery, Belchsr, Bell.
Poster, France, Moore, Richards Of
Ads, Richards 81 Canyon. Sage,
spaaldlnR. swestssr, Timm H.
Absent or not voting Allen Tex.
cassdl. kirkpatrick. McI3Atney lex,
eussd +. Nelson. smith Of Neg Pcrcs.
Smith Of Washington, Webster.
Wright, Nj Speaker o.
JOHNSON MADE THEM yorE.
Some of tho southern members,
daring roll call. asked TO lie excused
from voting on tho question. stating
they knees nothing OF the merits Of
tho matter. which did not concern
thsiF constituencies. After Allen
and MsilrAtnsy had bccn excused by
unanimous consent. however. Rsp.
rcsontattse Johnson. Of Ada. Oh joctod
10 any further extension Of the
courtesy and forced Porter 20 cast
his vote. Ito also objected when
Representative SwossasF. II Carsla.
desired 10 30 excused. and the latter
asked huw johnson bad voted On
being informed Ia the affirmative.
Swoetaar created a laugh by promptly
voting IN the negative.
whsE the ropealing bill. which IL
kuown aa II. u. No. % by Masill.
and which bad bcOn made a special
order, WA first brought up RsprCson.
tatlvo SpaaldinR. Of kooienai county.
moved thai Il be rocommtt,sd 90 the
state Affairs committee. Representa-
tive Mullaisy, Of I.A,ah. offered A. a
substitute that the bin bo I'm.
sdiatsiy placed on third reading
and flnai passage. Tho substitute
prevailed.
LOGGERs FAVORED REPEAL.
Muliaiey opened the discussion in
favor Of the bill le reviewed tho
general purposes Of the act % $50,
whioh It vas proposed to repeal. and
declared the people did not want this
enactment left on the statute book.
lie cited the attempts 10 secure a
franchise On tho Clearwater as one Of
the dangers OF the law. Whllo Il had
some good poiuta. u was generally
dangerous Law. All the logging men
Of his county tIsatahl we're opposed
to tho franchise law.
Representatives Richards, Of Ada
county, believed the franchise law 10
bo good one and opposed lie repeal.
Anyone, he stated, could appear be
fore tho land board aud oppose the
granting Of any river franchise which
was unjust lie believed tho land
board 10 be both honest aud INTEL.
igont and did not fear any unjust
and improper franchises would be
granted.
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATION.
Representative Aulbach, Of Sho.
sbone, favored the repeal of the
present Law, which he characterized
NJ a menace to the people. II had /
been passed by a democratic legis-
laturS, he stated, and was a fair
,amplc of what that party would do. |
loud protestations,
turing campaigns, of friendship for
The working people, their FIRST act |
when given power was 60 pass law
granting special privileges TO rich /
and taking away rights
Of settlers.
Representative Smith, of Latah |
county. said that the companies all /
secured The river franchises for their
own benefit. not for that Of the
people. lie contended that the i'm.
of the Potlatch river had
,een unnecessary for the benefit of
no lumbermsn, the right TO collect