The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-03-16
IDAHO LEGISLATIVE
SESSION ADJ0URNS
STATE REMAINS UNDIVIDED AND
Disturbing LEGISLATION
Is AVOIDED.
Compromise Reached on Workmen's
Compensation Bill, Which Caused
One Of Most Bitter Fights Of
Fourteenth Session.

Boise, Idaho.-The Fourteenth Ida
no legislature passed into history Sat
urday night, when it adjourned sine
die at 10 O'Clock while hilarity reigned
supreme among the members.
With its passing went the dreams
of those who expected to see a e
state carved u of the ten northern
counties, the ambitions of those who
desired Idaho TO have a workmen's
compensation commission realized,
and the defeat of two measures that
threatened international controver-
sizes, if not a complete breach-the
anti-Asiatic marriage bill and the
anti-alien land ownership measure,
both conceded to be aimed at the
time of their introduction at the Jap
anese.
The closing hours of the legislature
witnessed a compromise being reach
ed over the workmen's compensation
bill, which caused one of the most
bitter fights an Idaho legislature has
ever witnessed. without a dissenting
vote both branches passed a com
promise bill throwing the cloak of
protection I've the laboring people of
the state.
The final days session saw the pas
sage of appropriation bills carrying a
grand total of almost a million and a
half dollars. The state educational,
penal and charitable institutions were
cared for by them. State departments
were given their biennial maintenance
money and numerous relief bills were
disposed of. One institution suffered
as the result of the final pruning
process, and only one. The Univer-
sity of Idaho had 10000 stricken from
its maintenance for the payment of
expenses of lectures of the extension
department and $4,000 for the summer
school. Otherwise the state educa-
tional institutions are given the
amounts apportioned to them by the
house. The school for the leaf and
the blind gained $4,000 for a new
building and $4,000 for a central
heating plant.
BY a vote of thirty-two to ten the
house joint resolution authorizing the
converting of a state convention at
9 Moscow to draft a constitution fol
the proposed new state to be created
out of the ten northern counties was
n laid on the table and in that manner
it's defeat was accomplished. 1t re
p ceived the support of but the ter
4 senators from the north. This reso
luton had passed the house, a ma
jority of the members of which were
: Its joint authors.
: The anti4Asiatic marriage and the
: anti4ailen land ownership bills were
4 defeated by being smothered in com
mittees. A majority of the senators
were opposed to the passage of either
at a time when the nation faces al
: international crisis.
: Among other measures that failed
to pass was the $S50,00 bond issue
: for completion of wings on the new
state capitol. 1t was smothered on
the calendar.
Labor secured its greatest victory
of any session of an Idaho legislature
when it succeeded in having passed
by a unanimous vote a workmen's
compensation bill providing for cleo
tive compensation. Regardless of the
fact that many days were spent by
both houses in threshing out the COM
p~ensation issue and for week a bitter
fight was waged for and against the
three bills-RockWelI, Bates and An
ierson-and a deadlock threatened to
prevent an adjournment for days, the
legislature unanimously agreed finally
/ to a compromise measure hat was
) introduced on the morning of the last
days session and passed before the
: day was over without a dissenting
vote cast against it in either house.
"A commission of three members
and a state insurance manger and
department are created by this bill;
2 a schedule Of compensation for in
jured workmen or for the heirs of
those killed at labor ranging from As
per cent of the total weekly wages
for a period of 400 weeks is provided
in the measure. Casualty insurance
companies are barred from participat-
! ing and an employer may elect to
1 come under state compensation or
give bond to provide compensation
+ for his injured employees, as he de-
e sires. The measure is conceded to
meet the differences of those factions
interested.
BY a decision of the attorney gen
? eral the Portneuf county division bill,
i which passed the senate and house,
s but was held by the president TO have
9 failed to pass on account of the fact
that when the senate voted upon it
4 the measur was in the possession of
the house. was held valid, and il
. signed by the governor will become
a law. It creates a new county out of
: Bannock county.