The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1919-02-27
DOINGs OF THE LEGIS-
LATURE
Digest of Important Measures
Given by Our Special
Correspondent.

bond measure, which will net the state
highway funds about 81 100000 on the
present basis of valuation, is the fea.
ture of road legislation of the past ter
days. The bill making the levy posi-
BILE was introduced into the house dur.
ing the past week and has already be-
come almost assured of passage by the
favorable recommendation Of the COM
mittee
Another road bill went to the gov
ernor when the Morgan measure max
ing it optional with county commits
sions to levy 25 cents for every 800
Of valuation for highway purposes
passed the senate. There are two
companion road bills still left to be
acted on. Both of these provide for
optional levies of so cents each on
every 500 of property.
Three measures into which the big
irrigation bill, changing the entire
system of water allowance and gov
eminent in the state was merged, have
now been introduced. The two most
important of the number provide for
three engineers to be known as di-
rectors in the department of reclama-
ton and for the giving of sovereign
right In water matters to these d.
rectors According to members of the
irrigation committees in the two
houses the bills will not get out of
committee
A number of house bills have met
death in the past few days when they
got to the upper body, while the same
practice has applied in the house with
senate measures. One of the most i'm
portant house bills to feel the senate
axe was the one providing an eight
hour day for women. Several mem
bers declared amendments had taken
away its effectiveness. A claim that
the law would take away positions
from a large number of women work
ing in seed houses and the seed be
sent east in bulk was sufficient to
line up unanimous vote IN the
senate against the bill.
Legislators did not look favorably
on the effect to raise their pay and
give them four instead of two-year
term. Both joint resolutions were
killed. The resolutions which had for
their purpose lengthening the terms +
of county commissioners were also de-
feated.
One of the most lengthy measures
of the session is the new educational
bill in the classification of teachers
and to conform to the laws of num-
Der of eastern states where the rank
of schools is higher than Idaho. The !
bill was prepared by DR.. E. A. Bryan,
commissioner of education. Accord
ing to statements made on the floor
of the house Idaho ranks 37th in the
standing of its schools, while its sister
state, Utah, ranks sixth.
Charging that the wheat price fixed
by the law of supply and demand
would be higher this year than the
government guarantee and that this
condition would have been true year
ago and would be for the next two
years, Representative Hall on Satur-
day claimed the federal administra-
ton was making political capital out
Of it's efforts to establish q fund of l
billion dollars to protect the wheat +,
price. Hall is a grain man and farmer
and said he would take his chance on
a big price for the commodity without
the assistance of the government. He
claimed the type of publicity being A.,
riven placed the administration in the /.
role of protector of the farmers
was bid for votes.
A reorganization of the Nonparti-
,anLeague in Idaho is imminent. 1t !.
S expected it will be staged with
flourish of propaganda and promises
,efore the legislature adjourns in
rider to properly impress those MEM
,ers who are affiliated with the league :
r. with the Democratic party as well Il
S any Republicans who may have in
icated the virus in their veins. This q
5 not voluntary realignment, as I'M .
erstood, so far as the present leaders s
f the Nonpartisan League are con-
erned, for under the plans as agreed
n at a recent meeting of prominent
,ague leaders of the more conserva- :;
i've stamp and of active Democratic G
oliticians those leaders are to be kick
d out, notably Messrs. McKaig and
choltz.
The prime factors in this movement Sc
ave concluded that Townleyism and a.
5 association of Socialism and |. W. y
ism will not go in Idaho. 1t is y,
tanned, therefore, to remove the new W
rganization from all Townley and 81
.her North Dakota influence and ar
.igma. q,
In this new movement certain De- NJ
Sr1