, 1915-01-28
General
Assembly
(By John @ Thompson, Jr.)

Cheyenne, Wyo, Jan. Z1,-More
than s. 100000 of appropriations
ia provided for by bills now before
the Wyoming Legislature and this
ia but the fifteenth day of the ses-
sion. with 20 days of the session
and many of the most important
Appropriation measures, not to
mention numerous ones of lesser
inheritance, to come. There is
manifest, however, a disposition
nv both houses to scrutinize care
fully all bills carrying appropria-
tons and there is not reason at
this time to believe that the 18th
will be an extraordinarily extrava-
CANT legislature. The second ap.
propriation bill to come before the
house committee of the whole,
which apprapriates $1,000 for a
fish hatchery at or near Pinedale,
was mercilessly analysed and as
capsd immediate death only be-
cause it's author moved its recon-
initial to the committee on game
and fisheries. If all appropriation
bills are given as much attention
as this little one, there is a lot
a big lot-o, pet measures" of the
individual members which will
not be incorporated in the Session
Laws of 1915.
During two days of the past
q week, neither house nor senate
was in session, but dispite this,
both houses have passed several
bills and each has its committee
snd other machinery in we'll or
ganized working order. A willing
ness by committees to report adj
veIseIy on bills if they appear to
be undesirable in their provisions,
forecasts that much labor will be
saved the committee of the whole,
with the consequent gain in the
volume of Legislation which may
be completed before the session
expires on February 20. More
than 100 bills have been intro
1uced in the house and more than
80 In the senate.
Among the more important
measures introduced since the
last report are bills creating the
Seventh Judicial district from
Niobrara, Weston, Campbell and
Crook counties; the Mercer Scov-
gard public utilities bill; provid-
ing for the acceptance of the
Lever act for agricultural extern
sion work and appropriating $221.-
OOO as the states contribution to
this work during the next twelve
years and an appropriation Of $34,-
OOO a year for each year after the
expiration of the twelve-year per-
Tod; prohibiting a murderer from
lnheriting his victom's estate; pro-
vldlng for a permanent location of
the capitol; exemption from taxa
ton state lands which are passing
into private ownership; providing
Tor the removal by the governor of
untaithful public officials; repeal
Ing the law exempting mortgages
from taxation, and authorizing
school districts to raise funds for
the erection of high schools.
The long expected bill for sub
mission of a constitutional amend
ment providing for statewide pro-
hlbition now is before the legisls-
lure 1t is supported, it is said,
oy petitions signed 10y more than
~ per cent of the voters of the
state. Earlier in the session the
session the outlook for this bill
WAS dark, but there is apparent a
stronger Legislative sentiment in
lis favor, A strong ministerial
lobby is working in it's behalf.
The Sibley public service bill,
which is one of the "big business
features of proposed legislation,
provides for an ex-oficio public
utilities commission consisting Of
The governor, secretary of state,