, 1915-02-18
General
Assembly
by John c. Thompson, Jr.)

but five days of its session remain
ing, the Wyoming legislsture--to
use a homely phrase-"is up to it's
ears in work" OF the 1896 meas
ures introduced there are 130
which have not been considered
nv the house as a committee of
the whole, while a much greater
number have not been given such
consideration by the senate. Ad-
n ded to the labor which these bills
present is that of disposing of bills
vet on second and third reading in
the two houses. The answer, Why?
That's simple: There'll be sitting
committees aud all the bills intro
81 nuced will not be given considera-
ton. Which will not be an I'M
usual situation; there is work for
sitting committees during the last
week of every Legislature.
The one big issue during this
session of the legislature has been
whether legislation for the regula-
ton Of public utilities should be,
or should not be, enacted. In
terest in this connection has been
transferred from the senate to the
house, the upper chamber having
passed the Sibley public commits
sion bill. Senate File 5, by a vote
of Is for and IL against the meas
ure. How narro was the escape
from defeat of this measure may
be realized from the statement
that not until the chief clerk had
passed the names beginning with
an" on the roll-call was it certain
that the bill would be passed by
the senate. That it did pass posi-
bly, is due to some 'suasion brought
to bear at the last minute by Gov.
Kendrick. Eight democratic and
seven republicans senators voted
for the bill and eleven republicans
and one democrat senators against
it.
The Sibley Bill is now before
the house, where the powerful
Union Pacific lobby is continuing
its fight against it. Also before
the house is the McNally- Mercer
public utiliti 8 commission bill
virtually a twin of the Sibley bill
and this also the lobbyists are fight
ing rs desperately as the Sibley
measure. How strong is the house
opposition to public utilities regu-
lation was demonstrated during
consideration of the McNally-Mer-
Ger bill by the committee Of the
whole. An amendment striking
out section 45-the benevolent
monopoly" clause, which is essen
tlal to proper public utilities reg
ulation-was defeated by atie vote
resulting from refusal of the chair
to permit the counting of the vote
OF II representative antagonistic
to the measure who voted while
standing without the bar of the
house.
Both the McNally-M Mercer and
the Sibley bills provide for a COM
mission consisting of the five cleo
tive state officials.
Coincidental with the transfer
OF interest in public utilities legis-
ia'lon from the senate TO the house,
interest in workmen's compensa-
ton Legislation was tranferren
from the house to the senate. The
mousse passed House Bill lat, the
"orkmen's compensation measure,
Without a dissenting vote, but it is
probable that opposition-danger-
Gus opposition-will develop in
the senate.
The house expedited House Bill
la after the senate declined the
Invitation of the Governor of Colo
RADIO to send a committee to Dem
Yer to confer with a like committee
from Colorado, Arizona and New
neA'co regarding proposed uni
FORM workmen's compensation leg
islation.
Before passing the