Semi-weekly herald., 1914-12-21
important Proposed
Legislative Action
Continued from Page ID

sition to be filled by a capable per-
son to do the work now being done
by four Or five. The general plan will
include the creation Of one board to
have charge of all state institutions
instead of one board for every state
institution. In short, it will mean a
reduction in the number of employees
in the Legislative, executive and ju-
dicial departments Of the govern
ment.
Those who have been working on
the plan have figures to show that it
costs Colorado more to maintain her
government, when compared with the
number OF people in the state and
when compared with the amount Of
money expended for governmental
purposes, than any other state in the
union. For instance, last year Wiscon-
sin distributed 2oO,00o,o00 fry from
three fish hatcheries at cost of
$1,000, while Colorado distributed 40,-
100000 fry from thirteen fish hatch
cries at cost OF $4,000. The same
proportion Of expense holds good in
almost every department Of the state.
The general plan as outlined by
Chairman Stewart and the other lead
ers is to have the Legislature meet
and remain in session thirty days.
During this time the bills that are in
tendde to be enacted into law can be
introduced and the proper committees
appointed and Adjournment can then
be taken for another thirty days. I'm
der the constitution an adjournment
for over three days closes the assem-
bly,. Governor Carlson can at the
end of the second thirty days issue a
call for special session and include
only those matters which are really
necessary for consideration. This
would have the effect of killing all
unnecessary proposed bills and would
give the assembly all of its time on
the measures that are supposed to
be of vital Importance to the people.
Certainly this is an unprecedented
manner of handling legislation. Yet
those who have the matter in charge
feel that this is the only way the
cost of maintaining the state govern
ment can be reduced to point some
thing like it should be. To be sure,
it will meet with violent opositon
from those who have positions or
from those who feel that they should
be appointed to positions that are
leaders of the movement realize that
they will have the dead weight Of all
this opposition but they feel that the
vote at the last election indicates that
the people want the state put on a
sound basis and that public sentiment
will support the move. "lf the op-
position is 50 great that we cannot
put this reduction scheme through" /"
said Chairman Stewart, 1--WE will go
before the people at the next election
with the bill we want as an initiated
measure and fight it out at that
time" The general plan is to get
back as nearly as possible to the ex
penditures under Mcdonald and
Buchtel. It is well known fact that
the state government is no more eff
ficient now than it was then and that
it costs over 81 100000 biennally more
now than then.
AT present two sets of men are EN-
ployed drafting proposed bills. One
set is drafting a bill which will ere
ate the Carlson industrial commission
and the other is drafting the bill
which will make the necessary reduc-
tions in governmental costs. The eff
feet Of both will be to centralize the
important parts and powers of state
government; to increase the efficiency
of state government; 10 decrease the
pay roll and to, in effect, establish
what might be termed social sill
encer." In other words, it is believed
the enactment of these two laws and
their going into effect will put stop
to the general criticism on the cost
of state government.
In addition to the abolishment of
all boards and bureaus and of all
boards Of control, together with COM
missions and commissioners. It is the
intention to abolish tho court of ap.
peals.
The general plan as outlined by the
leaders is the most stupendous change
in governmental affairs ever under,
taken in the state. 1t differs from
other changes in that it is reiuo
tion in the cost of maintaining state
government and not an inerease. 1t
means complete rearranging OF the
powers Of governmental f;ia -tions II
means the Capitalization Of the pow
er in the hands of the few. It means
the conducting Of the state govern
ment with very few but necessarily
efficient men and women
II u II u II II II u II ~ Al na y 4
e
SOCIETY II