The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-03-17

public lands, and the sending to Wash
ington Of committee to adjust mat
tiers between the state and the nation
as to state lands included in forest
reserves.
Next in Importance in the minds of
many is the legislation on the LIQUOR
Issues. This includes three important
measures. One of these, known as
the search and seizure" law, is in
tended to make effective the local op-
ton law enacted by the Ten.h ses,
sion. Should this stand the test OF
the courts it will, it is claimed, elm
mate bootlegging and work a great re-
form in many parts of the state. An
other bill that became a law places
all the territory, outside of incorpor-
ated cities and towns, under the ban
ner of prohibition. Still another bill
makes it impossible to buy liquor in
a drug store for any purpose without
first subscribing to an oath before an
official.
Great things are promised from the
ORCA oLIOA9 VI TIC SLlSl W ldu dul4-LE u5l
law. This is sweeping in it's provi.
Bions. 1t incorporates many OF the
best features of the best laws on the
statute books of other states. The
Idea of personal guilt" is emphasized
in this law and it is expected to cure
many of the trust and combination
evils that now beset the state Its
friends assert that it will do much to
reduce the cost of living and bring
many lines of business back to a
legitimate basis.
For the first time since statehood
the road laws of the state are sys-
tematized. Provisions are made for
the creation of road districts and the
construction of permanent roads by
special taxes. Out of eleven road bills
introduced at the instance of the good
roads association of the state. nine
became laws and the two bills de-
feated were unimportant.
While the primary bill as originally
introduced did not become a law ow-
ing to the opposition OF Governor
Hawley to the party affliation" pro-
vision, an amended bill became law,
correcting some of the worst evils OF
the present law, such as the manda-
tory second choice and the miserable
method of adopting a party platform.
A series of bills prepared under the
direction of the state board of health
to prevent the sale OF impure food
and drugs, to provide for sanitary
conditions in all places where food
products are prepared or supplied to
the public and to care for the public
health in many other particulars, &C.
cupied much of the time of the law
makers.
Great benefits are anticipated from
the codifcation of the school laws OF
the state, the placing OF the state
schools on a mill tax basis and the
provision for a state board of educa-
ton to be composed Of expert educa-
tors.
A banking law wide in its scope, a
general insurance law and law gov
erning the operations OF benevolent
associations are the results of much
hard work on the part of men spe-
cially interested in those lines OF
work
Farmers will be especially we'll
pleased with a comprehensive pure
seed law, a noxious weed law, grain
commission law and number of laws
intended to improve conditions in the
irrigation districts OF the state.
To many the law to permit the run
ming of certain kinds of amusement
on Sunday when petitioned for by
majority of the voters of a commu'
nifty will appeal. The provision for
the commission form OF government
in all cities OF size, and the law to
provide for the fixing OF telephone,
gas, light and power rates Will be
popular, and many think will lead to
improvements.
Labor organizations worked hard
for the eight-hour law, the initiative,
referendum and recall; and they seem
in fair way to get them all.
Among the measures defeated in
which the widest interest was taken
none, perhaps, was more to the front
than that providing for a railway
commission. The hardest fight OF tn
entire session was made over this
proposition. Not only the bill to pro-
vide for the commission, but the prop
osition for a constitutional amend
ment was killed. As a substitute, pro-
vision was made for submitting the
question to a direct vote of the peo-
pie at the next general election.
State wide prohibition went to de-
feat in all the forms in which 1t came
before the legislature, but the ardent
advocates of temperance express
themselves as well satisfied with the
work of the session.
Among some of the other measures
that went to defeat was one provid'
ing for a Carey act land commission;
another for guaranty of bank de-
posits; another to compel foreign cor
to try condemnation suits IN
the state courts; another providing
for the liability OF employers in case
of injury or death to employees; an
other providing for tax commission
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