The Colorado statesman., 1907-02-16
LEGISLATIVE NEWS and GOSSIP

estry and game is engaged in combin-
ing the good points in all the game
bills presented in order to have them
in one or two bills. Mr.. Lehrritter ap-
peared before the committee Wednes-
day, submitting an argument in favor
of his bill that will provide for the con-
demnation by the state of all fish
streams. He explained that the state
had enacted a law two years ago pro-
viding that fish from the hatcheries
should be placed only in those streams
that were open to public fishing. He
wished to make the law even more ef-
fective by securing to the state the
ownership of all fishing streams. The
lis measure.
Senate Bill No 2S4, by Senator
Bardwell, to regulate wage brokers,
or loan sharks, as they are sometimes
called, has been favorably reported by
the senate judiciary committee. This
bill provides that no person or asso-
citation shall establish or conduct the
business OF wage broker in the state
without first procuring a license from
proper authorities, consisting of the
board of county commissioners in any
particular county. A provision of the
can assign any part of his or her
wages which may not be earned within
period of thirty days; that is to say,
that 10 one working for wages can as
sign more than a months salary at a
time. The interest to be eXacted by
the broker shall not exceed two
per cent per month, which is to
include all commissions and other
charges. No assignment of wages by
a married man, who is the head of a
family residing in the state, will be
valid without the consent of his wife.
who shall sign the papers with him.
No minor shall make any. assignment
at all. There are other provisions
which practically revolutionize the
present laws governing such loans.
If the present plans of the State
Board of Capitol Managers are carried
out, the State Horticultural Board, the
mining bureau, the war relics museum
and the State Historical Society will
have to move from the capitol. The
officials in charge of these offices are
Mrs. Martha Shute, Commissioner e.
Lyman White, Custodian w. w. Fer
guson and Curator viii C. Ferril.
fhey are now preparing TO fight the
expected order of eviction. The CAPT
tol board has no objection to these
officials in particular but it takes the
position that the files of papers be-
longing to the State Horticultural So
ciety, which are stored in the basement
and sub-basement, are a menace to the
whole building on account of the pos
sibilities they offer for fire. Further
more, they argue that the business of
the state is increasing to such an ex-
tent that the space occupied by the
EXHIBITS of the departments named is
actually needed for executive purposes
The board proposed at an outlay of
$1,000 to buy the two vacant lots
across from the capitol building, at
Sherman and East Fourteenth ayen-
ues, and upon these lots to erect a
suitable fireproof building in which
the valuable exhibits owned by the
four departments might be established.
Senator Millard's bill for consti-
tutional amendment allowing the State
University to maintain medical de
partment, failed of passage in the Sen.
ata Wednesday, receiving but 20 votes
out of the 33 cast, while the law calls
for a two-thirds majority to amend
the constitution. The bill had the act
i've opposition of Governor Buchtel and
others specially interested in the med
ical school of the University of Den
yer. In the discussion Senator Taylor
said he had been voting for the bill ten
years and would continue to do so. He
favored the building up of the State
University and thought the medical
department should have all the facili-
ties afforded in Denver. Senator Clay
ton explained that two years ago he
had voted against the bill, but this
year he decided to vote in favor of it,
fer numerous reasons which he ex-
pounded at length. Senator Bardwell
opposed the bill, and Senator De Long
favored 1t. Senator Millard, author of
the bill, said every university of any
size has medical departments in cities,
where facilities may be afforded stud.
ents. He cited nineteen cities where
this is true. Senator Robertson, a ply.
sician, said the medical department of
the State University had been neg
lected. Senator Barela said that he OBJ
jected to the expense which the bill
would entail.
A meeting of the Senate committee
on agriculture was held after adjourn
ment Friday to consider S. b. Nos. 219
and 220, by Senator Drake. These
bills provide that the land originally
donated to the state by the federal
government, known as state lands"
be taken out of the entire jurisdiction
of the State Land Board and placed in
the Joint control of that board and
that of the State Agricultural College
at Fort Collins. Originally these lands
were given to the state by the gov.
ernment for the support of the Agri.
cultural college, but out of the original
10000 acres only 10000 remain other
states, as was explained by Eugene
Grubb of the Agricultural college
board, have parted with all the lands
given them by the government at low
prices. Mr.. Grubb urged that the state
should retain the balance of it's lands
for the reason that if it does SO the