Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-01-29
PUBLIC utilities
BOARD ATTACKED
COMMISSION DECLARED USELESS
by IT'S ENEMIES AND PRAISED
BY ITS FRIENDS.
House Passessa Bill PROVIDING for the
Payment Of Expenses of County
Commissioners When ATTENDING
Conventions.


senate corporations committee held
an open hearing on the Thomas bill.
proposing TO take from the utilities
commission the right to regulate com
petition between public utilities. and
the house investigating committee
mad Carey Act Engineer Burnett OH
the carpet to determine where the
Carey act trust fund went Both hear
ings we're lively.
The senate hearing developed an
GagonfSm toward the utilities commits
sion, which was scored as the use
less commission" by speakers and as
vigorously defended and praised bv
its hackers. 1t was featured by a
clash between Senator Thomas. au-
thor of the bill seeking to amend the
act, and former Governor Frank r
Gooding, who championed it.
Gooding referred to the deplorable
condition of Carey act projects in
southern Idaho, saying it was "appal-
ing" Thomas resented bringing the
Carey act problems into the argument
and served notice on Gooding that he
would, at the proper time in the SEN
ate, handle the Carey act problem.
which he classed as disgrace to our
memory" during the Gooding admins
tration.
The house investigating committee
brought out little new in connection
with its probe into the condition of
Carey act projects in Idaho or what
became of the $4,000 Carey act trust
fund, except to show that much OF it
went into engineering work
The two branches of the legislature
were in session only during the morn
Ing, on January 49, The senate
passed the Sweet bill, giving discre-
tionary power to commissioners in
creating herd districts The Rockwell
nepotism bill was laid over for dis
cussion. New bills were introduced
as follows:
In the senate-By Elliott, amending
mothers pension act to give aid to de-
serted women; by Thomas, the lazy
husband" act, making desertion a fell
ony; by Bowman, authorizing county
commissioners to provide emergency
employment for those seeking it; by
Mendenrall, Steele, Kicks, Johnson,
Houtz and Harding, establishing at
Pocatello in place of the Academy of
Idaho the Idaho Technical institute.
In the house-By McMurray, Wat.
ers, Hicks, Faris. Lau, Gray, Elrod
Findlay, Cruickshank, Allard and
Woodward, creating a game preserve
out of Cassia, Twin Falls, Oneida
Bear Lake, Bannock, Power and
Franklin counties; by Johnston, ap-
propriating $3.50 for supreme court
by MCGOWAN, appropriating $1,000 for
commission expenses to Investigate
north and south railroads.
The house passed the Gray-Lau bill
providing for the payment of expenses
of county commissioners when attend
ing conventions, and the York bee in
spection act. The latter provides foI
state inspection of apiaries.
The introduction of the Pocatellc
technical institute bill promises a bit
ter clash in the legislature, as the aci
clothes this new educational institu
ton with all the qualifications of an
institution of higher education; II
fact, it is charged with attempting tt
establish a second university in Idaho
Governor Alexander has signed tbs
Teton county division bill, giving Il
southeastern Idaho another new coun
ty, making the third division measure
that has passed the present legisla
ture and the thirty-sixth county in tbs
state. The county seat is briggs ant
the new county is to be organized
within ten days after the bill Il
signed. 1t is composed of the cas-
half of Madison county, its principa
territory being the Teton valley, Oh
the border of the Yellowstone Ma
tional park.
The Thirteenth session has thus IA
shown a tendency to do it's work il
committee rooms. Many bills are still
in the hands of committees, and the
are receiving more attention than ha
been given measures before the
reached the calendar at previous ses
sions.
Senate Bill No. 8, by Whitcomt
met with no opposition in the senate
This bill affects practice in civ
cases. II provides for the amend
ment of section 1858 of the revise
codes and requires that physical
or surgeon cannot, without the col
sent of his patient, be examined as
witness in a civil action as to pri'
tleged facts, providing the patien
himself does not offer himself as
witness or allows such facts to b
disclosed through another physical
or surgeon.
A senate measure mo. 35), has fc
its purpose the amending of the d
rect primary law so that voters WI
not be required to name their part
ticket when voting in the primar
but will receive the tickets of all
the parties participating in the pf
mary.
Whether Idaho is to be wet or dl
must now be decided by the voters
the election of 1916, for by unar
moue vote the house Of represent
tive adopted the Hart resolution su
mit ing to the people the question
statewide prohibition. the senate ha
lngApassed the resolution.
To nut into effect the initiative, re
srendum and recall. for which co
stitutional amendments were adopt'
two years ago. is the purpose OF H.
No. 95. introduced by johnston
Bingham. The author has drawn u
bin as briefly as possible.
BY a rule adopted in the house u
authorized spectators viii heFeaIt
be barred from the floor. Cards we
ordered printed for distribution amor
the members. The members may 81
IL Al q