Arizona republican., 1909-03-11

! substitute, a composite of the Aims
worth and Goodwin bills, said to have
been drafted by Hon. T. c. Norris of
Prescott, who had appeared before the
| committee the day before
The bill provided that there should
I be a territorial engineer, who should
exercise a supervision over the county
road superintendents provided for in
an earlier act. Originally this bill pro-
vided for a tax levy OF 25 cents on
each 800, but this levy was finally
cut to 5 cents for the first year, but
to be 10 cents thereafter. A scent
levy will raise about $4,000. The sal
airy of the engineer is to be $4,000.
AS originally contemplated, the en-
gineer was to be a sort of Admirable
Crichton in proficiency. and Mr..
Weedin dsired to increase his accom-
plishments still farther by compelling
him to be also an irrigation engineer
in order that he might come in under
the Carey act But he was finally
shorn of all qualifications except that
of being competent.
The first draft Of the bill gave the
territory unusual rights in the condem-
nation of property, authority amount
ing o>the power of confiscation, but
the bill was so amended that under it
rights Of way will be condemned in the
ordinary manner. There We're a few
other minor changes, after which the
bill was agreed to by the committee
The board OF control is all powerful
in carrying the law into effect. The
engineer can make no move toward ac-
quiring the right of way for a road
without the consent of the board. There
was a provision in the bill that fran
chise for steam or electric road over
any of the roads under this act could
not be given without the consent of the
board. but that was amended after
wards. making the securing of a fran
chise impossible.
The General Appropriation Bill.
The house showed the general appro-
priation bill off its hands for the time
being with the understanding that
much would be added to it in the coun-
ell and that finishing touches would
be given it in the house.
Notwithstanding the early threats OF
trimming the territorial administration,
nothing of that sort is done in the bill.
The salaries of the officials are left
exactly at the figures of the last two
years. The district judges will receive
the same salaries, and in the case of
deputy clerks of the supreme court
the salary is increased $25 a month,
bringing it to 800
Following the precedent of two years
ago, there is an appropriation of 800
for the portraits of the speaker and
the president of the council.
Only one subdivision of the bill oc-
casioned any controversy, but that one
was pretty well drawn out. 1t related |
to an appropriation for the chaplains
and other attaches of the legislature |
in addition to the appropriation for the |
clerks, who are allowed the usual per |
diem. An effort was made by Messrs. |
Morris and Reed to have included in !
this appropriation items In favor of /
the janitor the watchman, the messen- |
ger and the elevator conductor. This |
was opposed on two |
grounds. One was that all of the func- |
tionaries except the elevator man were |
named in the organic act as employees |
of the government, and that the ele- |
vator man was not, was because at the |
time the act was passed there were no /
elevators in Arizona. But as none OF |
them were employees of the legislature, /
il was contended that it would be i'm /
proper to pay them any sum in addi-
tion TO what had already been pro-
vided for them. Besides, two years
ago extra pay voted these attaches had |
been disallowed by the auditors Of
flee.
1t was pointed out in reply that the |
chaplains We're also federal employees, /
vet the bill proposed to give each $50 |
in addition to the federal compensa-
ton. Then ensued A discussion as to |
the comparative meritorious services |
Of him who looks after the spiritual
welfare of the Legislature and the jani-
tor who attends to the sanitary sur
between the services OF the |
chaplain, who elevates the souls OF the |
legislators for five minutes in the |
morning, and those of the elevator man |
who spends the day in elevating their
bodies to the third floor of the capitol
building.
Mr. Pace was not averse to allowing
the contention of Messrs. Reed and
Morris. but he must assert that the
chaplain who assumes responsibility |
for the souls of the members OF the |
twenty fifth legislature has entered
upon a run for his money.
In the end Messrs. Morris and Reed |
won and the appropriations were al
lowed.
The chief clerks and the assistant |
chief clerks are each appropriated $3.50,
whereby probably another controversy |
similar to that which has been set
tied by the MaukRobinson appropri-
alton bill has been started. There was
a sharp debate over proposition to |
make an allowance Of $25 to one OF |
the Young lady clerks who has been
furnishing typewriter copies Of the |
morning journal to the members. an |
of the twenty-first legis-
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