The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1913-02-27

good working Public Utilities com
mission by the close of the presen'
session of the legislature One such
bill has passed the House, and II
has been debated enough in the Sen
ate to practically guarantee its pas
sage. 1t had been believed that II
would have a hard fight in the up
nar branch. but if the debate SO lar
be indicative of how the members
feel towards it, it will pass by even
a bigger majority than 1t received III
tho House---a little better than three
to one. Only minor amendments 10
the hill have been proposedso far, al
fecting it's value not the slightest
tax commission bill was pre-
sented in the Senate few days ago.
which is a real model of simplicity,
brevity, and apparent strength. IL
was introduced by Senator Hart, by
reouest. and is understood to be an
administration measure. 1t is really
q. model for all kinds of legislation,
in its clear statement of the objects,
powers and limitations of so complex
subject as a tax commission bill.
Governor Haines has taken the ak
to several bills passed by the legis-
;ature; among them---wonder of won
ders for this session!---a county div
ision bill. 1t was the bill creating
Valley comfy OF of part of Boise
comfy. The governor pointed OF that
Boise county had only little more
than enough taxable property to live
on, before the division, and that to
.u1 this in two was certain to be a
hardship to the peop.e AS the Who'll
county-has only one-half the valua-
ton of even the smallest of the new
counties cut out OF old incoln coun-
ty, there is every reason to accept /
the governors argument as sound.
Several other new county measure
Nil fail; indeed, more Of them have
failed than nave gone through. The
Canyon county division, the one in
Ada county, a proposed cut in Twin
f'slS, the taking of a section of Ida
h, county - tack en- tc Lewis, the
d;s:sion of = nner to fern the new
county of Esn,nddry, Tue fourth coun
ty IN Fremon', IL. essicrn Blaine
county divis or to form Bite coun-
t. the cutting - .'art II Custer
sud part 'if renhi to a;te Nackey
a new county seat, the cutting of a
slice from Kootenai and Shoshone to
form another county at st. Maries--
all these have failed up to the pres
ent time. 1t is possible, though not
probable, that some one might be re.
viyed before the session is over.
The governor has vetoed the bill
for a state appropriation for bridg
across the Snake river at Homedale,
the only bridge bill that has passed
both houses. 1t is recognized as an
excellent measure, but the heavy tax
burden has cauced the governor to
set his face like flint against all
unnecessary expenses.
There will be but four days of the
session left after this week, and it
will take a good part of that time to
finish the general appropriations bill
if it is as hard fight as that of
two years ago. An unusually small
number of bills has been passed, not
more than one-half as many as two
years ago; though the closing days
may bring up the number.
Several amendments Of much i'm
portance have been proposed; among
them being one to raise the pay and
another to double the term of serv-
ice of legislators, one for voting on
the question Of constitutional pro-
hibitory amendment against the man
and sale of liquor, and sew
eral others The one failed calling ]
for the initiative and referendum, as
did the movement for constitution
al convention.
The old fish and game law is like
ly to be butchered until it's own par
ents wouldn't know it. The slump
in the department in the last two
years is given as the reason for SO
many radical changes.
The new board of education is
agitating the state institutions as
nothing else has ever done There
are two ideas about the matter---to
mere advisory commissic ,
for the present, with no power to
act without the sanction Of the legis-
lature. the other to create board, I
low, with practically summary pow
Or to handle the schools as they be-