The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-02-14
STATECAPITOL
NEWS
Western Newspaper union Ns~s Service.

western Newspaper Union News Service.
Denver.-Efforts Of the Denver ssn-
ators to take away from the Public
Utilities Commission all Jurisdiction in
home-rule cities, in line with the re-
cent decision ot the Supreme Court In
the telephone rate case, failed wheh
the Senate, by Q vote Of 20 to Is. de-
feated Senate Bill No. "a, by Senator
Francis ]. Knauss, which vested tho
rate-making power in the people ana
provided the home-rule city with the
machinery necessary for the exercise
Of this power.
The constabulary issue. which has
been kept in the background in the
Legislature, made its appearance IN
the House when both sides seemingly
were unprepared. The bill by Repre-
sentative Best and Hosman for the re-
peal Of the act establishing the State
Department Of safety, closely followed
by Representative Girards bill for the
continuation of the department, ap-
peared on the House calendar. A con-
ference between the leaders resulted
in an agreement under which the bills
will be laid over.
A state bond issue to build perman-
ent highways throughout Colorado was
unanimously recommended by six
members of the good roads committee
Of the Denver Civic and Commercial
Association in a signed report to the
association directors. The report IA
vors turning into the state highway
fund half the income from the state
Inheritance tax, without raising the
tax rate; changing the license rate
and basis and other clauses In the mo-
Legislature, and opposes the proposed
gasoline tax and the bill to compel
all vehicles to come to q full stop At
railroad crossings.
4ne fight 1or me recovery OF Liquor
conSignmentS made " some 3,VVV per-
SONS through the express office Ia
Denver il 10 be moved To the supreme
Court when John Coe, inLervenor u
the case Of the State versus American
Railway Express Company, will file
an appeal for supersedeas and . briei
in support Of the appeal Errors will b.
alleged against the act Of the District
Court IN sustaining the states demur-
rer 70 the complaint OF Coe.
At least one additional county
Judge for Denver " sought through
bill BY Senator StarkWeather which
passed second reading in the Upper
House Of the Legislature. The Dill
proposes q constitutional amendment
which would pave the way for the
passage OF laws establishing more
than one county judgeship in counties
Of large population.
Other bills which have passed thirc
reading IN the Senate are the Booth
Dunlap bill, providing for state road
brigade; the knauss bill. making 1t
lawful to attach an interest In prop
erty involved in an estate under pro
bate; the Hattenbach- Napier Warren
Dunklee bill, modifying requirements
in the licensing OF mutual fire lnsur-
ance companies; the Hattenbach bill
changing the procedure IN school
bonding elections; the Fairfield house
bill, increasing the salary OF the state
meat inspector from 500 to $125 per
month; the Napier bill. giving the
Legislature the sole right to suspend
writs of habeas corpus; the McWu-
liams-Finley bill, creating Irrigation
Division No. 6, and the Staley bill. ad-
hitting veterans Of Indian wars to the
Colorado Soldiers and Sailors Home.
Denver's fight for the right to pro-
tect the health Of its school children
was carried to the Legislature, when
a bill by Representative James N.
Downing permitting medical inspec-
ton came before the house. Although
the bill 10 not mandatory and merely
gives the school boards In districts Of
the first class the right to employ
physicians, dentists and nurses when
necessary, it encountered vigorous op-
position and only survived q motion
to table by two votes.
Radical changes in the administra-
ton of the state industrial compensa-
ton fund were suggested by represen-
tatives Of insurance companies In an
open meeting at the capitol before the
Industrial Relations Committees Of the
Senate and House of Representative.
The separation of the funds admins
tration from the other duties Of the
State Industrial Commission was
urged by william E. Hutton.
The problem of the education Of the
returned soldiers and incidentally Of
all other citizens of Colorado, came BE-
fore the House of Representatives
when Representative Robert f. Rock
wells bill to give free tuition to all
persons honorably discharged. from
the military or naval service Of the
United States appeared on the House
calendar. Action on the bill was de-
fefred when its sweeping character
became known.
The alarming wave Of juvenile
crime In Denver has caused Chief Of
Police Hamilton Armstrong to address
. letter to the judiciary Committees