The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-01-19
PLAN LEGISLATION TO
HELP COAL SITUATION
Legislature Will Seek to Locate Blame for Coal
Shortage and at Same Time to Relieve Distress
Resulting from Situation.

BOISE, Jan. 19.-The coal shortage
in Idaho has become so serious that
it is probable a resolution will be in
troduced before the legislature ask
ing for an investigation not only to
place the blame-whether with the
railroads or mines-but to give relief.
Legislators were giving tn matter ser
ious thought yesterday afternoon. The
public utilities commission has been
flooded with complaints. The coal
famine extends from the north to the
southern part of the state. The con-
tinued cold weather has greatly in
creased the consumption and suffering.
In some of the southern Idaho towns
sagebrush and fence posts are being
burned.
Conservation and control Of avail
able waterpower sites and resources
by congressional acts was urged in
memorial introduced in the house by
Representative Monson of Oneida.
The memorial recites there is a re-
ported waterpower monopoly now in
Idaho and other western states.
While. the senate passed the bill
giving to the fifth judicial court of
the southeast an extra judge under
suspension of the rules, the house
killed the tenth judicial district bill
placing Lewis and Idaho counties in
that district, as introduced by Repre-
sentative Giles, by indefinitely post
poning it. This action was taken be-
cause a similar bill is pending for
consideration in the senate.
The public utilities commission was
both attacked and supported by bills
introduced. Senator Cummings launch
ed a measure to repeal the act creating
the commission. Representative Huss
ministration bill to give the commits
sion supervision over securities.
The bills indorsed by the convicts
at the penitentiary and a commits |
sion of private citizens seeking to
give the prisoners educational facili- |
ties, to provide a state parole warden |
and to prevent convict from testify |
ing on the witness stand as to FORMER |
prison records were introduced in the |
house Another measure anneXes part |
of Blaine county to Minidoka.
Another bill seeks to take from the |
legislature the power to create new
counties and placing it in the hands
of county commissioners, who are
empowered to call elections at which
65 per cent of the vote cast among |,
the residents in the territory to form
a new county creates it. 1t was filed in
the house.
The bill provides that a petition
missieners by, the voters of the pro-
posed district. The district must. be
a $4.oo0,000 valuation and contain
400 square miles. The petition must j
be signed by 65 per cent of the quali-
fed voters of the proposed new
county. The county commissioners
hear all protests as to proposed lines,
valuations and other questions and
then submit the matter to q vote.
Four hundred square miles must re-
main in the ! old county and
$5 600 900 valuation.
Speaker Alfred announced the ap-
pointment of Representatives .Huss-
man and Kiger on the judiciary COM
mittee and Representative Jones and
Boham on the public health commit
tee.
Senator Grant of Clearwater is the
author of bill to amend the Sunday
rest law so that the necessities of life
may be purchased. 1t empowers
city council or board of trustees of
town or village to allow stores to open
Sunday under regulations if present !
ed with petition signed by a. ma
iority of the electors voting at the L
asst general election. .. ~
The administration measure urged .
,y the governor giving that executive p
,ower to remove county sheriffs and
attorneys who fail to enforce
prohibition laws as remedy is ready
or introduction by the judiciary COM U
nittee. -
Representative Struthers Of >Sho-
hone county is championing bill
O lowess costs in elections. His argu-
nent is as follows: ........: ~. IN
"A chart which is now prepared II
hows the cost of elections is ridicu- CT
ously hgih. In one precinct in the IL
tate, for example, the cost of one:l VI
lection was $40 per vote. The new ct