Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1917-03-01
COMPENSATION ACT
MEETS DEFEAT
IDAHO SENATE INDEFINITELY
POSTPONES WORkMEN'S
COMPENSATION BILL.
Another Bill of Same Nature Pending
and Will Probably Psss-House
Approves Bond Issue for
Better Roads.

Boise, Idaho-After one of the most
bitter fights the state senate has seen
since the legislature opened, the house
workmen's compensation BILL intro
duced by Representatives Bates, Lehr-
bas and Grice was killed on February
"a, by being indefinitely postponed.
The vote to kill stood twenty to four
teen. This measure was the so-called
labor bill, and called for compulsory
workmen's compensation. It's defeat
leaves but one bill of the same nature
pending in the legislature, or the Rock
we'll elective workmen's compensation
act. This bill is assured of passage
as 1t has the backing of the Republi-
cans and five Democratic senators
who refused to stand behind the Bates
bill When it is sent to the house of
representatives a deadlock over its
passage may result.
The house of representatives passed
the most important bill pending IN the
legislature on February "a, when it ap-
proved the s1,000000 bond issue set
providing for the building of good
roads in the state. This act will make
available for road construction in
Idaho during the next two years
grand total of s2,75O,OOO, of which ST.
100000 will be raised by the state,
s1,250000 raised by the counties, $685.
900 from the federal post road act and
$135 900 from the forest service. 1t
means the most promising era of good
road building in the history of Idaho.
The state bond issue is apportioned
as follows. Panhandle, $4,000; Bon
ner and Boundary counties, $4,000;
north Pacific highway, $4,000; north
and south highway, s375,0OO idaho
Montana highway, $4,000; Idaho-Pa-
cific highway, 100000; Yellowstone
highway, $4,000; Idaho-Utah highway,
$40, 900.
The senate created the Tenth Judi
cial district, to be formed out of Nez
Perez, Idaho and Lewis counties, by
passing house bill No. IS, by Giles, on
February "a, and at the same time
passed house bill No. IL, by Welsh,
giving to the Seventh judicial district
an additional judge.
1t is understood that the governor
will approve both bills.
Boise, Idaho.-The house of repro
sentatives on February % recommend
ed the 100000 good road bond is
sue for passage after an unsuccessful
attempt was made to amend the bill
by having 100000 of the total set
aside for the building of bridges
A state department appropriation
bill carrying $463,0S was also recon-
mended for passage.
There was introduced in the senate
on February % a measure calling for
a referendum vote in the state as a
whole to determine the definite loca-
ton of the state capitol, as provided
by the constitution. This bill seeks to
| counter the measure introduced for a
S850,000 bond issue to complete the
wings of the capitol building.
The anti-alien hearing conducted by
the senate judiciary committee came
to an abrupt and dramatic close on
| February %, when c. NJ. Booth, the
Twin Falls attorney associated with
| the lobby charges, branded as false
| in toto the charges made against him
| in affidavts and was forced to face
| Senator Elliott, who demanded to
know who had lied, the attorney or
| the makers of the affidavits, Messrs.
| Rankin. Craig and Hasbrouck. Booth
pleaded his physical unfitness to tes-
tify, but crossed the investigation
| committee frequently and demanded to
know the charge that was against
him. He was finally escorted from the
senate room and the capitol building
by the sergeant-at-arms and his as
sistant to prevent a personal attack
from two of the men who had sworn
to the affidavits.
The administration forced the pas
sage on February 20 of the senate
bill apropriating $4,000 for the state
auditor to conduct an investigation of
the state land department from the
time the state was admitted into the
union up to January l, 1917. The bill
| passed the senate and was sent to
the house. Senate bill No. 80, by
Thomas, relating to the handling of
estates in probate courts, and senate
bill No. 6, by Bradbury, providing for
the partial redemption of tag sale
certificates, were also passed.
By vote of 10 to Is. the senate
voted to create the new county of
Portneuf after the motion of Senator
Cummings had been carried to recon-
slider the previous vote by which the
bill had been defeated by a vote of
% to IA. The bill received a unani-
nous vote in the house