The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-03-26
PREPARE To TRY
IMPEACHMENT
SENATE ORGANIZES AS HIGH
COURT, UNDER CHIEF JUS
TIcE MATTHEW KANE.
LAWMAKERS ARE WORKING HARD
Many Acts Of Minor Importance Being
Rushed Through the Two
Houses and Sent to
the Governor.
Oklahoma City.


oklahoma City
For the third time in the history OF
Oklahoma the high court of impeach.
ment has organized and taken the oath
of official duty.
| In response to a formal request de.
livered to him through Secretary Joe
s. Morris, Cher Justice Matthew J.
Kane appeared in the senate chamber
and organized the senate into a court
OF impeachment for the purpose of
hearing the articles of impeachment
against Corporation Commissioner A.
+. Watson and State Insurance Com
missioner A. L. WEIGH.
impeachment Has Begun
Tuesday, March 90 at 1870 D. m. was
the return date for the impeachment
process issued in the Watson and
WEIGH cases and this feature con-
sumed much Of the afternoon session
OF that day. No evidence was taken
and the impeachment trials will not
be started until the legislative work
Is out OF the way and the house men,
Ders have been released from duty.
II is now contended that the senate
pay will be restored 10 S6 per day, be.
ginning on the date of the impeach.
ment.
Pass Income Tax Law.
With a few amendments the senate
took final action on the income tax
law, which amends the statute now in
force. The principal amendments
were offered by Senator Russell, and
provides that on the first $4,000 or
any excess thereof there shall be
levied rate of 10 mills on the dollar;
on the next $4,000 of such excess
10 mills on the dollar; on the next
$4,000 of such excess 40 mills on the
dollar, and on all such excess, in add.
ton to the amounts mentioned, so
mills on the dollar.
Assessors Salaries Fixed.
The county assessor bill, which oc.
casiOned so much interest during the
early part of the session and which
has been in conference for the past
three weeks, was passed finally by
the house as amended and agreed
upon in conference.
The bill fixes the salaries of county
nu nfNy nla -lyg
in all counties except those of $4,000
population or more. In those counties,
which includes Oklahoma county, the
assessor will be allowed a salary of
$4,000. Under the present law the
compensation of assessors is based
on the amount of the assessed valu-
alton of the county in which he is
assessor.
One radical change which the orig. !
inal bill proposed, in the present law
was changed in conference so as to
be left optional with the county com
missioners of the various counties. |
i was that provision which required
the taxpayer to come to the assessor
and list his property for taxation in
stead of the assessor going to the |
taxpayer as is now done. The orig. |
inal plan, it is said, is acceptable to
the east side of the state, but was !
strenuously objected to by representa- /
tives of the west side. As the bill |
now stands either plan can be adopted !
ia any county according to the desire
of the county commissioners.
Cotton Oil Trust Hit
Breaking up of the so-called cotton
seed oil trust, which it is asserted has
robbed the farmers of Oklahoma of ,
thousands of dollars annually by its /
alleged domination and control of hun
dreds OF cotton gins, will be accom-
plished, it is believed, through the
operation of bill passed finally by the |
house of representatives.
The bill, if 1t becomes a law, will
prohibit ANY person, firm or corpora.
ton or association of persons, owning
or operating or holding any interest in I
any cotton seed oil mill in this state
to own at the same time, operate or |
hold any character Of interest, which
shall also include holding any in trust
or otherwise, in any public cotton gin .
in this state"
1t also declares cotton seed oil mills |
and cotton gins to be public utilities
and as such, are declared to be under /
the supervision and control of the cor
poratibn commission the same as other
public utilities. IT is further provided |
that no person, firm or corporation
shall be permitted to conduct or oper-
ate cotton gin or cotton seed oil mill l
without first obtaining a permit from
the corporation commission.
The house went on record as opposed |
to reducing the size of the legislature |,
when it voted to kill the resolution by