The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-03-07

March l. The margin was close.
The proposition was to submit the
question to the people in the form OF
constitutional question. This would
require forty votes or two-thirds OF
the entire membership. 1t received
S6, four short Of the required number,
while 10 votes were cast against 1t.
All Republicans were pledged by
their last state platform to maintain
the present local option law, and it is
argued that this defeated the pro-
posal to submit the amendment.
Voters may be transported to the
polls in carriages, automobiles, or
even wheelbarrows, so far as the
house is concerned. BY the adoption
Of an adverse report of the commit
tee of the whole, the lower branch of
the Idaho legislature voted against
the passage of bill that would pro-
hibit such transportation of voters.
Members of the house evidently
want to sentence their successors TO
| longer terms of office than have
been inflicted on this and previous
| legislatures, for the house passed a
| joint resolution proposing an amend
ment to the constitution that will, if
| adopted, extend the terms of state
senator's and representatives to four
| years.
The governor has vetoed the bill to
issue $4,000 in state bonds for a
in Owyhee county.
Seventeen measures were approved
by the house on February 90, while
eleven received the approval of the
senate.
A compensation act, modelled after
that of the state of Washington, was
passed by the house of representa-
lives of the Idaho legislature on Feb
ruary %, and sent to the senate. Its
authors are Representatives Mason Of
Latah, Norton of Kootenai and Con
nor of Bonner county.
On February % the house passed
the senate antiracetrack gambling
bill and sent it to the governor. By
the terms of the anti-gambling bill
race track betting in the state o
idaho is shut off.
There has been war before the leg
! islature ever since it convened for tn,
present session over the anti-gamb
ling bill. The measure was intro
iuced to strike at the famous Alal
track, located at Alan. in Kootena
county.
The lineup road bonding bill, in
troduced by the Bannock county dele
cation, was indefinitely postponed, bu
the house passed a $4,000 road bon
issue bill for north Idaho, as well a
gave that section of the state $500
for a new bridge.
The house on February % went o
record a second time as opposed to
constitutional amendment giving tn
people the right to initiate Legislation
but passed a bill providing for the
rect election of United States SEM
tors, the measure to become operativ
If two-thirds of the states ratify tn
constitutional amendment.
Speaker French on February 2S al
nounced the house sitting committe
as follows Johnston of Bingham
n Ferguson of Bannock; Wright of Bes
Lake; Bowerman of Fremont; Lay
'. son of Ada; Norton of Kootenai, an
Mason of Latah.
That Carey act lands and Carey al
projects in the southern part of tn
state need the direct and immediat
. attention of Idaho, and are in a d
! plorable condition, was made clear
the legislature on February 2
= through a report submitted throus
y the state affairs committee, followiI
9, an investigation of the Carey act
partment.
p The state affairs committee fill
70 with the house a report secured fro
le Carey Act Commissioner Shawha
II showing that the state stands to 10
$50 900 acres of land within Carey a
- projects because the promoting COZ
h panies of the projects have sold all
: the water, leaving none for the sta
lands. and in numerous Instances ha
= built canals to the land.
The report also shows that sever
% Carey act projects in this state are
er the verge of ruin and some of the
n are even now bankrupt, while sor
IN are in the hands of the receiver; tn
Id lisettlers have been induced to sell
a on the land by the company prom
ers. who guarantee to them that t
III state and government stood financial
Il behind the projects and that tn
/, stood to make thousands of dollar
!. that today some of the projects a
d without water, and those settlers W
'e resided on them were forced to lea
'e- their entries and their improvement
g. and were financially ruined.
" The house took the report so Sc
or ously that it ordered 1000 cop
I'd printed for general distribution to
press and residents of the state, a
IN ordered it spread on the house 10
a nal.
e. Veterans of both the Union
Confederate armies won at least
Il temporary victory in the hot
81 when, after passing H. b. No. l
M the house Immediately reconsider
es the vote and placed the bill on
u,