Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-01-18
ATTACK MADE ON
COMMISSION AT
GRANGE MEETING
Resolution D 9 m a n d ! n 6
Changes in Public Utili-
ties Law to Be Adopted
Farm Markets Bureau
Endorsed.

Nampa, Jan. 18.-In today's session
of the State Grange convention which
is in progress in this city, interest
largely centers in the resolutions rec
ommendatory of the enactment of leg
islation by the present state legisla-
ture which the Grange holds to be Of
paramount interest to the farmers OF
the state. or the many resolutions be-
fore the Grange today for considera-
ton the one Of most absorbing interest
perhaps is the one recommending that
the state public utilities commission be
shorn Of a vast amount of its power.
This resolution recommends that tho
law creating the commission be SO
amended by the present legislature that
cooperative and -prof1ting utilities
in the state will not be compelled to
secure certificates of convenience and
necessity from the commission before
they can do business in the state.
TO DEMAND AMENDMENT.
1t is understood that the Grange will
70 on record for the demanded amend
ment Ct the present law by adopting
the resolution by practically unani-
nous vote. A. l.. Freehafer, one OF
the members Of the commission, is ..ere
from Boise today upon the invitation
Of the Grange to speak in behalf of the
commission and to reflect its views up
on the questions pertaining to the
operation of the commission which are
at issue. That this resolution will meet
with favor is not to be doubted. yet
thn nfh he, !, n n oil
with safety that the Grange will not
recommend the adjustment of the
commission.
This morning resolution in sup
port of the state department Of farm
markets was adopted and the resolu-
ton indorsing this department of the
state government also calls upon the
present state Legislature to enact into
law the recommendations by State
Market Director W. G. Scholtz in his
annual report to Governor Alexander.
The Grange will also indorse the state
board Of education and recommend the
enactment of the legislation proposed
by it.
OTHER RESOLUTIONS.
Resolutions bearing upon other
phases Of legislation demanded of the
present legislature than the two reso-
lutions previously referred to will be
under discussion. All Of these resolu-
tons pertain to legislation which it Is
believed will be highly productive Of
the betterment of the conditions now
common to the farmers Of the state.
The one impressive feature of the
convention is the unanimity of senti-
ment prevalent among its members and
their pronounced harmony and concert
ed efforts indicate that the organiza-
ton Is to be reckoned with In the fu-
ture as one Of the most potent factors
In the public life of the state. The
members Of this great organization are
today congratulating themselves that
after long years they have come to an
adequate conception of the value of
organization and are giving the knowl-
edge of their new power a practical ap-
plication.
ANNUAL BANQUET HELD.
At the annual banquet of the order
at the Dewey Palace hotel last night
featured the close of the Yesterday
session of the convention and so great
was the attendance at the affair that
the dining room of the popular hotel
was twice filled. Worthy Overseer o.
n. Tronaas of Bliss presided as toast
master. Among those responding to
toasts were w. M. Deal of Nampa, mas
ter Of the state grange; Mrs. J. c.
Knott OF Eden, state lecturer; W. g.
Scholtz of Boise, state market director;
Mrs c. e. s. Roberts of Rupert, Mrs.
George Hodges of Nampa. and ]. "A.
Lakness of Nampa, secretary OF the
Nampa Chamber Of Commerce.
Harvey Alfred, speaker Of the house
of the present legislature, was also one
of the speakers OF the evening and en-
phasized certain measures he held to
be of vital interest to the farmers of
the state and which he declared should
be enacted into laws at the present ses-
sion Of the legislature. The illustrated
lecture entitled. Ourselves as Others
See U.s. will be given by Representa-
tive ID. r. Hubbard of Boise this even
ing. Tomorrow the visiting DELEGATES
will make an excursion around the
loop.