Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-03-14
IDAHO LEGISLATURE
ENDS ITS LABORS
FIFTEENTH SESSION COMES TO
CLOSE. AFTER sIxTY-TWo
DAYS OF WORK.
Large Amount Of Constructive LeeIs.
lation Passed and Many Measures
Of Little Importance Consigned
to Oblivion.


iature completed Its labors on March
8, after sixty-two days of law-making
sessions, 1t being generally conceded
that large amount of constructive
legislation has been passed, as well
as much that is of little consequence
and could have just as well been left
undone.s
One of the most far-reaching acts of
the legislature prior to adjournment
was passage of the act eliminating
the statewide primary election law
and substituting in its place another
| providing that candidates for United
States senator, congressman, justice
of the supreme and judges of the dis
trict courts, governor and all state
elective officials, shall be nominated
at state conventions instead of ct
statewide primaries.
Probably the most important piece
of legislation was the remodelilng and
material changing of the form of state
government. This was proposed by
Governor Davis and met with the APP
proval of the two houses. tThe gov
ernor was given cabinet of nine mem
bers, Standing at the heads of as
many departments, grouped under
which are present state commissions,
boards and departments, co-ordinat-
ing and consolidating them. Cover
nor Davis will appoint this cabinet
that is he will name its heads. The
new plan goes into effect March 81.
The legislature did not forget its
soldiers, and, regardless of the fact
that congress failed to push through
its land settlement plan during the last
session, the Idaho solons passed ths
necessary legislation to work in CO.
operation with the government. It
passed bill creating state commits
| sion which the governor will appoint
| for that purpose.
The number Of counties In the state
was increased from forty-one to forty
four through the creation Of three new
counties Clark and Caribou.
with Dubois as the county seat, and
Caribou is formed out of Bannock
county, with Soda Springs as county
seat.
The lawmakers were liberal in their
appropriations for better roads. Face
to face with an exhausted limit In bond
issues a two-mill levy was passed,
which by direct taxation, will raise
81, 100000, to be distributed over the
main trunk highways of the state
highway system, resulting in the build
ing during the next two years 1of
many miles Of roads. In fact, com
bined with the help Of counties and
the federal government, It. makes pos
sible the expenditure Of approximately
$6,000,O0O on Idaho's highways in 1919
and 1920.
Liberal allowances were made for
the various state institutions not only
In so far as maintenance is concerned,
but for needed additions and new
buildings as well as improvements.
Conditioned upon Boise securing the
approaches to the state capitol and
parking them, the legislature author
lied the issuance of 100000 In bonds
to raise the necessary funds to COM
plete the state capitol by building on
the two wings at cost of $780, 600
each.
The educational laws of the state
were codifled. The teachers in public
and private schools were removed from
the jurisdiction of the state Industrial
accident board and the school laws
generally strengthened.
The land board was given greater
power in dealing with and adjudicat-
ing water rights in Carey act projects.
and $4,000 was appropriated for an
investigation of the water resources
of the state. The bonded warehouse
act was passed, measures to prevent
discrimination in handling farm pro-
duce, and bonded real estate deal
ers' bill. A new fish and game bill
was passed, act to sodify the laws of
craftsmanship, etc, and boxing was
legalized. A measure was approved
to reimburse stock owners for stock
condemned for tuberculosis; creating
state consts 1uIary to enforce the
laws; authorizing the governor to re-
organize the state militia $4,000 pro-
vided for in direct taxes for the state
fair at Boise and Lewiston livestock
show; creating state forestry bureau;
a state seed analyst; the Eleventh
judicial district created. for Boundary
| and Bonner counties, and the Twelfth
district for Washington and Adams
counties; legislative apportlonment
measure, making 1t penalty to dis
play the red flag; authorizing the
state 40 manufacture road materials;
sterilization of degenerates.
There was authorized constructed at
Lenora. In Boundary county, across
the Kootenai river, bridge; $4,000
was appropriated for Improvements
, along the Snake river in Madison and
Jefferson counties; $4,000 for the
Improvement of Lava Hot Springs, In
Bannock county, and $4,000 for n
drainage district In Kootenai county.
Generally speaking the legislature
Accomplished many things II set out
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