The Idaho Republican., 1917-03-16
SPEAKER ALFRED
WRITES OF LEGISLATURE
Gives Credit to His Colleagues

|
Boise, March IL, 1917.
Dear Mr.. Trego:
Now, that the greater rush Is
over and the active session closed,
am going to take the liberty to ad-
| dress a few lines to your paper and
ask, If you feel SO disposed, that you
give space for them in your columns.
During the campaign of last fall
and until the fourteenth session of
the legislature convened, there seem
ed to be uppermost in the minds of
the people of Bingham county the
need Of certain legislation which was
made apparent by most frequent and
earnest requests to the members
elected from our county.
1--WE have been able to introduce
bills covering every matter mention
ed to us, as promised, yet one or
two of them have failed to become
law for the reason that the upper
house was somewhat inactive in the
earlier days of the session.
1--WE made two attempts to have
enacted into law provision that
would permit the nomination or
election of county commissioners in
their respective districts, but both
failed in the senate.
Permit me to mention few Of
the subjects under consideration that
were mentioned as peing of interest
to the people of our county. First,
and uppermost in my mind was the
necessity of change in the jury
system which under present condi-
tions is costing Bingham county
from $4,000 to $1,000 annually.
This, owing to the fact that the
county pays for jurors in all civil
cases. l introduced bill correcting
this evil and thru continued labors
carried it thru the house, but mas
much as many attorneys who have
in the past found this law as it now
stands upon the statutes, one of the
greatest sources of their revenue,
sought in every available way to pre-
vent the passage of this act and thru
their combined efforts in the senate
it was lost.
Another of prime Importance in
troduced and that passed both houses
is that giving parties aggrieved an
appeal from the decision OF the
board of county commissioners, act
ing as a board of equalization.
House bfll No. 266 was fought
thru the senate in the last minutes
previous to it's adjournment. This
bill gives authority to proper officials
to search and seize any vehicle or
conveyance used for the transporta-
ton of liquors within the state and
this without warrant. 1t also grants
power to confiscate and sell at public
auction anything used as means
of conveying or concealing intoxicat-
ing liquors.
I'VE were also enabled to change
the present system of foreclosure on
tax liens which has become so ex-
pensive and obnoxious to our county
officials. Altho this bill is not as
we would have had it, it is the best
we could get.
Another measure desire to men
tion that was of prime importance
to the shippers of farm products all
over the state, was the enactment OF
! law granting reciprocal demurrage
)r some similar remedy against COM
non carriers. Shippers of perishable
freight in Idaho have lost untold
sums of money because OF the I'M
possibility to obtain cars for shipping
produce in due season. We made
several efforts to get such measure
into law, but each time
allied for the reason that no law IN
his state covering a reciprocal de-
nurrage could be made operative
Ind at the same time constitutional.
Attempt was made to follow the Min
lesota law relative to the furnish
ng and moving of freight cars, but
t was found that even this was held
o be invalid when applied to freight
,ars demanded for Interstate com
nerce, The supreme court OF the
United States has held in 226 U. ).
1861 l.. Ed, as above stated.
Jnder this holding of the supreme
court, a law of this character would
,e of little use in Idaho because
shipments within the state constitute
/ comparatively small portion or the
'ailroad traffic of this state.
"Regardless of the fact that l, and
,ome of my constituents have met
With failure in this respect, we wish
@ assure you that no effort within
,ur power to accomplish this thing
vas neglected.
Some very wholesome legislation
las been enacted and some things
lot so wholesome. Yet. in the main,
feel that | am correct when | say
hat Idaho's laws, generally speak
ng, are better because of this ses-
lion having convened.
81 desire also to
tell Bing a m
county that no more
able and loyal man
to the interest of the
whole people, ever
sat in legislative
= hall than her tried