Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-02-22
.IFTTER0 Of INTEREST
FROM CAPITAL
BY HUSSMAN
,nAuo COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE
WpTTEs INTERESTINGLY OF
STATE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT
TRIALS AND TRIBULAT|0NS
1.owmakers Have Irregular Hours and
Are Chased by Lobbyists-Word
or Two on Country.
Boise. Idaho, February 4, 1917.

Boise, Idaho, February 4, 1917.
Friend Winner: So near and yet SO
FOR at least that is the way it looks
to one in Boise, when thinking of home.
The past week | have received very
[ little news from Cottonwood, and what
did get was several days behind time
noticed in the Lewiston Tribune
that the prairie line has been snow
hound on one or two occasions. TO OF '
living in Boise, this is real news fo:
there is nothing here to suggest such a
condition. While it has been cold here,
the thermometer registered below zero,
it lasted little more than week. 1t
is generally conceded however, that this
so far has been one of the severest
winters they ever experienced in Boise.
There is light skift of snow in pro-
tected places and considerable ice in
the street curbs, but the sidewalks and
streets are generally barren so that the
use of overshoes can be dispensed with.
This apparently is not news here but in
contrast with what / hear from home,
and to my own knowledge of conditions
i up there, | know it will be news to you.
Roads out into the country are equally
as good, if no+ better than in summer
{ and automobiles galore are to be seen in
! town all the time. This condition OF
course is due to the absence of snow,
8 and in summer there is Just as much alb
sence of rain. No doubt it gets terribly
hot and dusty here in summer time. The
soil is sandy, volcanic ash and i'll
Il character about the same as that OF
q *Clarkston.
& have not had time or the inclination
to acquaint myself with farming condi-
s tions, but the many and large alfalfa
q stacks and here and there a silo, sug'
N gests something worth while going out
u to see And before / start home, if
have to stay week longer, l am go
ing out into the country to see just how
they manage to grow alfalfa that looks
so green and is so fragrant, that really
it seems good enough to eat. Say, ii
our farms would produce such alfalfa
and three and four crops per year of il
81 as they grow here, "ow VOW; it IS toe
81 of fine alfalfa here is the ideal curing
weather during haying time.
Last week / promised some revela
tons from the book of Moses, but
hardly feel like tackling so big jot
tonight. Conditions here, and th'
duties of representative are irreconcil
able to my previous conception of wha
constituted day IS work of represen
tative, provided, of course, he did hi
duty. And | IN sure such is the cas'
with most of my friends. AS evidence
of this | have only to remind them o
what was generally their last greeting
hope you II have a good time whil
in Boise" Well it's rafting gooC
time we are having. The first thing {
legislator has to do is to re-adjust tn
work hours of the day which, of course
neeessitates adjustment of mea
time, bed time and every other fixe'
routine. In fact, you can't keep
schedule of any kind. The House con
yenes at ten 'clock in the morning an
the calendar is so long already that W
had an afternoon session nearly ever
day last week. Now anyone that ha
not had opportunity to observe tn
workings of a legislative body will won
der why one should be so busy becaus
the House doesn't convene until te
and nearly always adjourns before fiv
most of the legislative work is don
IN the evening But remember tina
most of the legislative work is don
In committee of which there are thirty
three In the House alone. The con
m1ttees are made up of members of tn
legislature and for that reason mus
md time outside of the time we are
regular session to get together to d
thelr committee work. OF these con
mlttees the Appropriation, Referenc
ana judiciary are the most importar
ana hardly a day goes by but what eac
one has a meeting and sometimes
uozen bills are to be passed upon, whic
entails great deal of work. Ever
member is on from three to five con
hittees. | can make myself understoo
py citing my own experience. | WI
appointed on the following committee
l.uucatlon, Private Corporations, Raj
= roads, carriers and other corporation
hoads, Bridges and Ferries and Jud
.lary, There is never day that one
sne other committee does not meet ar
sometlmes two or three. The Educ
a.ohai and Judiciary committees hay
laused me the most work. | don
anow why | was ever put on the Juo
.,ary committee, because / don't kno
;anytnlng about law, which, of cour
e9ually true of some other membe
o on 1his committee, but suppose tn
80 e"mttee has to have cerain amou
~ ballast outside of judicial tale
Iaa' As generally makes up this committe
!; soon as bill is referred to col
A'l0Vee IT is up to YOU 30 Get buoy o.