Arizona republican., 1917-01-24
LEGISLATORS CIT DOWN
TO CONSIDERATIONstrF
REAL LEGISLATION


in the legislature yesterday. Its ses-
sion was more like legislative session
than has been witnessed since the con-
vening of the third legislature 1t went
about its work the same as if it had
two pay days instead of a mere hope
that there would sometime be one 1t
seemed to participate in the general
belief which was in the air, that the
supreme court was about to give the
legislature a de facto governor and it
was getting ready to welcome him.
For the first time there was an after
noon session and an old time meeting of
the committee of the whole house.
In the latter there was the first de-
velopment of an alignment. 1t came
with the taking up of the so called
Kinney bill, the first of the labor bills
which the committee on labor had rec
commended for passage. This is the bill
which requires that all persons in this
state engaged in hazardous employ
ment shall be able to understand and
speak the English language
When the first paragraph was read
in the COMMITTEES Of the whole, Mr.
Winsor of Yuma called attention to an
error or language which would have
made it crime for any one to accept
employment in this state The correc-
ton was one that could have been made
in half dozen words but the opponents
of the bill seized the opportunity for
a motion to re-refer the bill
In the debate that followed, Mr. Hall
of Maricopa a member of the commit
tee on labor said that he had not had
an opportunity to study the measure
and suggested that for that reason
alone it be referred again. Chairman
Mahoney of the committee replied that
the committee could not better Inder
stand it after another reference where
upon, NJ. Hall amended the motion to
re-refer by sending the bill to the com
mittee on mines and mining.
In the subsequent debate there were
intimations on the part of the friends
of the bill that it's opponents were in
spired by Interior motives, and charges
by the opponents of the bill that its
advocates were trying to railroad" it.
A protest by Mr. Roberts of Cochise
against the latter charge brought from
his colleague from Cochise Mr.. Sutter
disclaimer and after the assurance
all around of a belief in the purity of
the motives of one another, Mr. Hall
withdrew his amendment and the mo-
ton to send the bill back to the COM
mittee on labor, was adopted.
There is doubt as to the present at
titude of the senate toward the bill. 1t
is surmised that there are ten members
against il and nine for it, though those
figures may be reversed. The bin goes
back to the committee less for correc-
ton than for the purpose of affording a
more exhaustive hearing. Chairman
Mahoney issued a call for a general
hearing next Monday afternoon at 2
o'clock and extended an invitation to
the leading employers of the state as
wen as to heads Of labor organizations
to be present and present their views.
The Land Loan Bill
The Winsor bill amending the pres
ent law for the loaning of state funds
was passed. In the committee Of the
whole it was favorably recommended
after undergoing a slight amendment
by which the governor and the secre-
tary of state were added to the board
which shall pass upon the charter of
securities offered fer loans. The
amendment is chiefly in the circum-
stance that loans may be made upon
unimproved land, of value of not less
than $40 an acre. A loan may not ex-
ceed more than half the appraised
value of the land.
Another bill considered in the COM
mittee of the whole was Mr.. Ruther-
ford's measure for the conservation of
the public morals. Before the consider
alton of this bill had proceeded far, a
suggestion for an executive session was
acted upon The galleries were cleared
the lady clerks were sent out of ear
shot and only the members, and repre-
sentatives of the press remained. There
are two reasons why newspapers veil
III
it is not proper to disclose the pro-
ceilings of executive sessions and the
other is a certain postal regulation.
About all that can safely be said
about the debate is that it ranged far
afield. including the subjects of sab
marine warfare, undersea commerce,
neutrality and parliamentary proce-
dure. When the debate was concluded
4 motion to throw the doors open was
amended by proposal to throw open
also the windows, transoms and port
holes. The committee recommended the
passage of the bill and that was ac-
complished in the afternoon session.
Mount Graham Game Preserve
President Claridge's bill for the es-
tablishment of the Mount Graham
State Game Preserve was also consid- :
cred in the whole committee, and later
III tHe udy WAS passed Dy unanimous
vote. This preserve will occupy a tract
about twenty miles long and twelve
miles broad, embracing all that part of
the Graham mountains lying within the
Crook national forest. 1t shall be un-
lawful to shoot or hunt any animals
therein except beasts of prey No in
reference will be made with grazing.
County Salaries
In the course of the sitting of the
committee a suggestion suddenly came
up for a remodeling of the county
salary list. A bill by Mr.. Rutherford Of
Yavapai proposed an increase of the
salary of assistant clerks of boards Of
supervisors in counties of the fourth
class. Hr. Hall Of Maricopa started the
trouble by showing that there was a
discrepancy in the salaries of officers
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