The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-02-12
IDAHO EDUCATION
BUDGET PASSED
CURRENT EXPENSES, MAlNTEN-
ANcE AND IMPROVEMENT TO
COST THE STATE $4,000
Attempt to Pass the Senate Local OBJ.
ton Bill Ahead of the House
Prohibition Measure Fails
by Close Vote.

The 1915-1916 budget for the state S
educational institutions, house bill No
So, was passed by the house of repre-
sentatiyes on February 6, despite the
last effort of the minority to effect an
economy by reducing the appropria-
ton.
approximately $S80,000 is carried by
the bill for salaries, current expenses,
maintenance and improvements at the
university, normal schools, Industrial
school, academy and deaf and blind
school. The bill is approximately the
same as introduced by the house com
mittee on educational institutions with
the exception of an amendment to in
clude an appropriation for the Albion
normal. Some of the requests made
by the separate institutions were
scaled down by the board of educa-
ton or by the appropriations COM
mittee. AS it stands, the appropria-
ton is the largest proposed to be
given by the legislature to the state
schools.
Representative Anderson of Canyon
led the final attempt to defeat the
bill on the minority side on the argu-
ment that the state is not in position
to afford so large support to its
schools at the present time. He urged
no cuts in salaries, but wanted rec
Commitment of the bill to take out
some of the provisions for improve
ments.
MCGOWAN gave the strongets speech
in favor of the bill, quoting statistics
to show the relative school expendi-
lures of Montana, Washington, Ore
gon, Utah, Nevada, California and
Idaho, which placed this state as CIV
ing the least for its population.
An attempt to pass the senate local
option bill ahead of the house prohibit
ton measure failed by a vote of 20
to ~ to suspend the rules. The mo-
ton was not subject to debate, but the
roll call indicated opposition by prac-
tically the same members who are
sponsors for house bill No. 142, which
is now in committee of the whole
house and which is the sense of a ma
jority of the lower house as to the
needed statutory provision for the en-
forcement of prohibition.
The house passed twelve bills on
February 6, all of minor Importance.
The most important was No. A, giving
a $3.50 homestead exemption for ex-
ecution or levy. The senate was not
in session.
There will be an exodus of rela-
tives appointed to state, county, city
and village jobs by office holders as
the result of the action of the senate
on February A in passing, by a vote
of 81 to 2, the Rockwell nepotism bill.
This act makes it unlawful for an
official to vote for the appointment or
appoint any person related to him by
affinity or consanguinity in the third
degree 1t is one of the most sweep
ing acts directing blow against ne,
potism said to be in existence in any
state.
During debate on the Chambers bill
the charge was made by Senator
Whitcomb of Lemhi that the measure
would make it possible to plumber
the state treasury" and was a
fraud"
The legislature directed it's fire on
the state tax commission during the
session on February 4, and the house
of representatives, by vote of 30
to %, passed bill to abolish it. At
the same time the house defeated bills
to increase the salary of the state en-
gineer or to decrease the salaries of
public utility commissioners. The
senate will probably take up the fight
on the tax commission and pass the
house bill.
The legislature may pass consti-
tutional amendment, now pending, to
abolish the state board of equalization
and put in its place state tax COM
mission with constitutional power.
DR.. L. P. McCalla, president of the
Intermountain Good Roads associa-
ton, in an interview in the Boise
Statesman, says: II trust that the
present legislature will do whatever
is necessary to make constitutional
the law passed at the last session
with regard to licensing automo-
biles, if it is not so already
Having created three new counties,
the Thirteenth Idaho legislature does
not propose to add another govern.
ment unit to the list, and on January
80 killed without ceremony the Bull
county measure seeking to create a
new county out of the west half OF
Twin Falls county. There are three
other county division measures pend
ing before the legislature and they
A bill introduced by Anderson OF
Canyon fixes the salary of state off.
GERS as follows: Governor, $4,000;
secretary of state and state auditor
$4,000; attorney general and state
treasurer, $4,000; school superintend.
emit and mine inspector, $500; the
salaries to be payable monthly.
In both the senate and house last
week bills were introduced providing
an appropriation of $46,432.07 for the
irrigation of state lands in the Gem
irrigation district In the senate the
bill is s. B. No. SO, by Proctor; In the