El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-19

sessions have such clauses attached
And. under a decision by the attorney
general, there can be no appeal TO the
CCurts-the legislature being the sole
judge as to the justification for TINS
Purchasing Agent Bill.
While a good many Of the measures
specially desired by governor Hunt
were passed at the special session, 1t
5 also a fact that some of those ne
desired most ardently did not get
through. Chief OF these is the pur-
chasing agent bill.
1t was the governors plan to put in
the hands of single individual the au-
thOrity TO act as purchaser Of supplies
for all the state institutions. Also,
this individual was TO be appointed by
himself. 1t was pointed out by the
friends of the administration that this
was the only businesslike course and
they declared it would result in d vast
saving. But the opponents of the plan
declared it put too much power in the
hands of the governor and that il
would IeSult in the building up of
machine that would place the a0minis-
tIation in a wei nigh impreSnabie pO-
Houses Fail to Agree.
The bill passed the senate without
difficulty, but was killed in the house
Then the house tried out the senate
with a bill OF its own, providing for d
purchasing department, put TINS phi
vas killed by the senate SO that
leaves the affairs of the state in the
hands of a board of control. This
board consists Of the governor, auditor
and one citizen member appointed by
the governor. Formerly, the citizen
member had to be of a political faith
opposite to the administration, but that
provision has been eliminated
As is usual, there was great crowd
ing of work in the last few days Of
the session, and so many bills were
rushed through that il is predicted
there will likely be trouble with some
al IA
watched the course OF events pretty
closely and has caused amendments TO
be added to some bills that otherwise
would have been clearly uncOnstitu-
tiOnal. But it is inevitable he could not
watch all of them, and the real value OF
those measures viii have 10 be de-
termined later
Senate Bill Tabled.
There was some real comedy in the
house Tuesday when the bill proposing
the abolition of the senate came up for
final action. All sorts of burlesque
amendments were offered, one giving
COchise county y members and Mari
copa county one, another making the
Honor convicts" members of the body;
another perpetually diSQudlifying all
members of the present senate from
holding any office of trust or profit
After the house had spent half an hour
or so in having fun with the bill, it
was laid on the table by unanimous
vote.
GCAdLOI NJ OAS4Ggs OAE o. tAlc tl44S du-
thOrs, in discussing the action Of the
house, declared this legislature would
not appreciate real democracy if il
had it.
Measures that passed the house Mon
day were the pure food bill which is
the same as the federal statute, and
the bill providing for five percent
tax on express companies. This tax
is to be in lieu OF all taxes now paid
The senate passed bill providing for
the publication of constitutional
amendments and initiative and refer
endum petitions, d funding and loan
bill permitting cities 10 sell real and
personal property, an eminent domain
bill, q bank examiners appropriation
bill, d primary canVasSlnS board Dill,
an auditors appropriation bill and
general tax levy bin. The bill relating
TO corporation fees was lost
Campaign Publicity Bill PASSES.
buttons to be made public has passed,
also a bill permitting cities and towns
to sell real and personal property. One
of the prime objects of this measure is
to permit the city of Phoenix 10 sell
property on which the old city hail is
located.
The governor has signed the bill re-
curing foreign insurance companies
to pay percent tax on premium re-
ceipts and a bill fixing the time of
opening and closing of polls.
Contrary to expectations, the legisla-
ture did not adjourn Tuesday, but the
lawmakers will adjourn tonight. The
most important measures to be cOnsid-
cred are the primary and registration
/ bills which passed the house but have
not yet been considered in the senate.