The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-01-22
URGES ABOLITION
Of IDAHO SENATE
MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER or
HOUSE PROPOSES RADICAL
CHANGE IN LEGISLATURE.
Introduces Proposed Constitutional
Amendment Which seeks to Abolish
Senate and Reduce House TO
Twenfy-four Members.

A radical change In the Legislative
/ system OF Idaho was proposed In tn.
house OF representatives Of the legis
lature OF this state, In session here, OF
January l6. with the introduction d
proposed constitutional amendment
which seeks to abolish the senate ant
reduce the house 10 twenty-four sal
ariad members, thereby cutting dowr
the present legislature Just seventy
members. The amendment was In
troduced by Representatives Johnston
and Kouiscfi, majority floor leader
and whip" respectively. II passed
u VIII divide the state into twelve
districts composed OF contiguous
counties divided equally as to popuia.
ton and each entitled TO two repre-.
sentatiyes. The plan III better known
as the "one-house" legislature.
| The opening of the Legislative probe
into state departments and transac
lions OF state officials, the filing OF
Expert Gleason's first report showing
how the state lost money in the hand.
ling of the public building endow.
ment fund; the passage with prac.
ticaily no opposition, OF the Boun.
dairy, Benewah and Teton county crea.
ton bills In the house. and the attack
made on the public utilities commits
sion followed in close succession as
the features OF Fridays legislative
programme
boundary county Is to be the north
half OF Bonner: Benewah county,
part OF old Kootenai; Teton. the east
half OF Madison. The first two named
passed the house unanimously; the
third had only two votes registered
against 1t. Edelblute spoke against
Benewah. but voted for 1t. The three
bills went TO the senate.
Attorney General Peterson, State
Treasurer Eagleson, Receiver Small
wood and X. II. Dewey appeared be-
bore the committee and testified with
regard to state moneys In the Bank
OF Nampa, at Nampa, Idaho. at the
time OF the failure of the institution.
the testimony summarized was to
the effect that after the bank failed
the state instituted suit to recover
against the bank as principal and
the personal sureties, G. r.. Hickey
In the sum of $4,000, w. s. Strobe in
the sum OF $4,000. AS the personal
bondsmen owed the bank. a compro.
mise agreement was reached by the
attorney general by which the bank
released them from their obligations
70 II and the state then sought to
recover from them in payment for It's
deposit. Their personal property was
seized and Kruil appointed as trus.
tee 10 administer and collect on II
for the state. Up to the present
time the state has not recovered the
full amount OF its deposit.
Senator Thomas OF Bingham conn
~ attacked the utility commission by
introducing bin to remove from Its
power the right to regulate competi.
ton between public utilities, seeking
to repeal section 4S OF the act.
The first report of Expert Gleason.
probing into the affairs OF state ac-
counts and funds. was filed with Gov.
ernor Alexander. II deals exclusively
with the public building endowment
fnnd, showing that total Of $685.
60961 has been misplaced from this
fund, itemized as follows: Seventy
i've thousand dollars lost by disposing
OF $7b0.0O0 capitol building bonds, sold
at II per cent when they could have |
been sold at per cent; $2,9S2.76 in |
to contractors and sup.
ply companies, and $5,526.S5 taken I
from the trust fund and used for
maintenance of the capitol for which
the last legislature spec IDEALLY appro.
priated $4,000.
Senator Kaline OF Lewis county in
troduced community property law
providing that community
property can pass to survivor to the
exclusion of collateral heirs. Sena.
Tor Rockwell OF Blaine introduced an
sct to consolidate the insurance de-
partment with the banking depart.
nent.
Representatives Munsinger OF Mini.
ioka fathered a nepotism act making
{ crime for state official to ap.
,oint relative In his office.
The state affairs committee, OF
which Senator John Hart Is chairman,
mas introduced bill seeking 10
strengthen the present local option
aw. and which. II passed, win close
very brewery operating In dry
county in the state. The introdue.
Ion OF the measure Is creating un.
Usual discussion, II Is believed 10
e the first step taken to put through
he present legislature not only con,
titutional prohibition amendment.
ut statewide prohibition act. AS a
companion to the bill was a report on
he constitutional amendment intro
ueed by Hart, offering an amend.
nent to change the date. The amend.
nent, If passed, will become effective
rom July /. 1915. to May |, 1917.
The house was put on a working ,
asis on Tuesday when Speaker Con.
er announced the permanent stand
ng committees. Aside from the in.
reduction of twelve new bills, the
ouse did little. The senate held I
hort sessions in the morning and
fternoon.
Teton county, the new unit TO be
dded to southeastern Idaho from ter
itory taken from Madison county, !
With Griggs as the county seat, was
moved up to third reading In the
ouse of representatives of the legis-
ature on Thursday and will pass that
ssembly, thereby winning half its
ght for existence.