Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-01-17


| source Wltnln tne boundaries Oh tnis
| state.
The gold had remained undiscovered
in the hills, and useless for untold
centuries, the Inhabitants had no use
for coal, the forests were burned to
make way for berry patches and hunt
ing grounds. The streams ran use
lessly and undisturbed to the sea, and
all were worthless. 1t required the
| yenturesome pioneer, with his intrepid
| zeal, to lay the foundation of a great
| state His laws and customs were
built on experience and justice. Upon
| the foundation so well laid by him. our
hardship and genius and industry have
measured every dollars worth of value
| in our natural resources by a dollars
worth of human toll. We have right
| to these resources with which to build
| our state.
A sensible solution of the public do.
main question is to turn the public
| lands and resources over to the states
in which they lie. The citizens of
these states have a better understand
ing of their needs than outside people
possibly could havo. They have
greater interest than anyone else in a
proper administration of these lands.
The General Assembly should me-
morialize President Wilson and Con-
gress, setting forth in detail sugges-
tions of changes In administration of
the public domain to comply with the
| best requirements for settlement, de-
velopment and local taxation.
Employees Compensation Commission.
The Employees Compensation Com
mission appointed by the Eighteenth
1ral los 1,I t1II -
completed its Investigations, and
should be continued either to report
at the next session of the General As
sembly or to initiate a law covering
the subject.
Fairs and ExpositIons.
If we are to make creditable show
ing at the Panama Exposition in 1915,
the present General Assembly must
provide for it. l am advised that all
the western states are making unusual
efforts to advertise their products and
opportunities at this great fair. The
people of Colorado will not want to
be left behind. Our financial condition
will prevent our doing as much as we
would like to do, and the situation is
complicated from the fact that the
exposition will in reality be divided
San Francisco and the other at San
Diego. In addition to this, Colorado
intends to provide an attractive pa
geant to induce visitors to the big
shows on the coast to stop In this
state, view our mountain scenery, en-
joy our unequaled climate, and inves-
tigate our splendid opportunities.
Whatever funds the state can spare
for this great exposition should be
placed in the hands of most compe-
tent board. that they may be used to
the best possible advantage. To pro-
mote this work the several counties of
the state might be authorized to as
sist the general exhibits by financial
aid.
Grand Jury.
When the present law relating to
criminal prosecutions was passed II
was not intended that district attor-
neys should be given SO much power.
am of the opinion that it should be
mandatory upon the District Courts
to call grand jury at least once each
year In every county. and that district
attorneys should not be permitted to
dismiss prosecutions without the con-
sent of the courts.
Fee offices.
have always been opposed to pub
lie offices being supported by fees.
realize there are many offices, under
present conditions at least, that can
have no support otherwise. but see
no reason why such officials should
not be required to collect fees with
out favor, turn them promptly into
the public treasury and draw such
inQ a hn hxr lar
in the same manner in which salaries
are usually paid.
Sixty-day Session.
have never known session of the
General Assembly at which the work
could not have been completed within
sixty days, and see no reason why
the present assembly cannot finish It's
business within that time. So long
as the Legislature is in session
changes in law constantly occur and
business conditions are more or less
disturbed | therefore hope this as
sembly will hasten its work to the ut
most / can conceive of nothing that
would bring more credit to the men,
bers than the accomplishment of
needed legislation and an adjournment
within sixtyd ays.
Economy.
With $4,000 of interest on the
state bonds in settlement of old debts,
with $4,000 to pay for advertising
the initiated and referred bills at the
last election, with demand for $780,
900 for the big expositions of 1915,
with added expense to keep pace with
the growth of our educational and
other institutions. and with the neces-
sity of keeping taxes within reasonable
bounds, there is every obligation to
hold appropriations and expenditures
of all departments of the state at the
lowest possible point consistent with
efficiency. The estimated state reve-
nues for the present period are no