Arizona republican., 1907-02-14
The Three Gent Fare Bill On the Front
of the Stage Today
New Mine Taxing Bill In the COunc--The
Upper House Disposes of the Santa Fe Pacif
Memorial

Though not much business in either
branch OF the legislature yesterday
was given the finishing touch there
were some interesting developments
anti railroad legislation In the
house. The judiciary committee
returned the Crenshaw three-cent car
fare bill with a recommendation signed
by all the members of the committee
except one, that it be passed. The
dissenting member was Mr.. Davidson
who in a minority report of some
length expressed a belief that the
time had not yet come TO weight down
the railroads with unjust burdens;
that the territory had not yet been
wholly developed and that therefore
| there were other things that the rail-
roads might do to increase the wealth
Of Arizona and its citizens. 1t was too
soon to kill the goose for the golden
egg.
Mr.. Burke moved for the commit
ment of the bill TO the committee OF
the whole. to be taken up today
The motion was unsuccessful 1t being
explained that the bill would come
| anyhow today in the regular order.
IL was the object Of the friends Of
the bill to keep il out of the whole
committee and so prevent a discussion
OF IL by those who are opposed to Il
| though they may not be members OF
| the legislature, a courtesy hitherto ex-
| tended TO those who have been inter-
ested in important pending legislation.
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION BILL
| Bells bill for the creation of a rail-
road commission was given its second
reading and Mr.. Bell departing from
the usual order moved the reference Of
/ it to the irrigation committee. Mr..
/ Williams raised an objection. In the
/ first place he believed that the motion
of Mr.. Bell was a perhaps unintended
I discourtesy to the speaker and in the
second place the bill did not belong to
that committee for it was in no sense
an irrigation measure.
In his motion for reference to that
committee Mr.. Bell had stated that he
believed the members Of that commit
/ tee were friendly to it; all of them
were heavy shippers and were inter
ested in getting the best possible terms
4 from the railroads.
| Replying to that argument Mr.. Will
/ liams said that was one reason why
1 the committee should not be given
charge OF the bill. The proper course
/ to pursue was to commit bills to dis
| interested committees.
! There was an almost acrimonious
! debate in which Messrs Whitesides.
Williams and Bell participated. Mr..
/ Il1IT
| in the measure. He was moved only
by his great interest in the territory
which he desired to "wrest from the
despolisting clutch OF the railroads. e"
He entered upon a preliminary debate
Of the measure which he had satisfied
himself would be good law IL it were
enacted into a law notwithstanding a
contrary opinion that the legislature
was without power to create a body
/ for the performance of a task set by
the congress of the United States to a
body Of it's own creation
! Mr.. Bell grew animate and declared
himself another "Disinherited Knight
standing in the list hurling his defiance
and his lance full at the shields OF the
Brian de bos Guilberts of the rail-
roads. But it turned out that Mr.. Bell
wanted the hands of these Brian de
bOis Guilberts tied. That is. they were
not to be permitted to answer what he
might have to say on the subject of his
bill but they might sit in the chamber
under the ordeal of his Oratory and ask
their friends to ask him questions. He
defied them to do 1t IL they dared.
Mr.. Whitesides had kept demanding
to know what it was all about and in
sisting on the reading of the bill. The
house groaned with apprehension. The
noon hour was approaching and the
bill contained twenty-five type written
pages. But Mr.. Whitesides was in