The Delta independent., 1919-04-04

judiciary cOmmlltee OF tue Senate, VINO
up to this time has refused to call
a meeting OF his committee or take
any action upon them The result has
been that the House has been afraid
to set day for adjournment until
Senator Andrew, the chairman of this
committee, will agree at least to take
soma action on these bills. ] went to
him yesterday and put the proposition
up to him. and he said that he would
call a meeting and would put the bills
out il we would pass a resolution nam
ing the day of adjournment. l rather
think that If this is done. April 7th will
be designated as the date.
Probcbly the bill which has created
the greatest interest throughout the
state this week was that concerning
the Moffat tunnel. I discussed this
bill briefly sometime ago. and my
opinion on it is the same as at that
time One whole day was spent in
flowery oratory for and against the
measure. but question if single vote
was changed as a result Of the argu-
ments Every member had made up
his mind how he would vote before
the bill was read. and I might add that
believe there was more trading done
on this bill than any other that has
come up in the two terms that have
served. A month ago | believe that
two-thirds the members would have
voted against the bill; when it came
up this week IL carried by a small
| lI-jority Briefly. tn1 bill cre.tes a
commission of five who shall have
authority wholly TO condemn railroads
within the state and gather data re-
garding the cost of these roads, cost
of construction. repairs, etc, to be
placed before the people at the next
general election. II a majority of the
votes are for this measure. this COM
mission will have power to issue bonds
and purchase roads wholly within the
state of Colorado, build extensions
where it seems feasible. buy new
equipment for roads. in fact practic.
ally have all the power within the
state regarding railroads that the Fed
eral Government has with interstate
roads. II is a venture that no other
state in the union has even considered
and for one who is not wholly in ac-
cord with government ownership of
railroads in peace times. It would seem
very questionable undertaking for
Colorado: the first state in the union
to even undertake such matter. to
buy up. not the paying railroads but
the dejunct railroads which cannot be
run at profit by private ownership.
and which would seem to me to be
assuredly not profitable to be run by
state ownership. It seems to me like
the proposition I saw made through
the papers by which a certain organ
ization desired to have the Federal
Government turn the railroads over to
them with the understanding that II
there were profits accommodating froT-
the handling of the roads. 1t should
to the employees. and II there wss n
9eficiensy the tax payers should make
IL up. To sum up. I don't fee that
''ere is much. il any. danger of the
Moffat road being junked at this time.
and ] feel that this is an effort sad
died on to the state of Colorado. an
obligation which should be sponsored
by private capital.
For the last ten days I have been
spending a good part of my time as
member of the sub-financc commit
tee OF the House and Senate This
committee has held hearings for prac-
fically all departments and institu-
tions of the state regarding their bud
get for the next two years.
To give you "A general idea OF the
amount of money the state expends
each year, will say that last year the
long appropriation bill which includes
a expenses for the executive legis-
lative bodies. the various boards and
commissions. salaries. care OF state
buildings, etc, amounted to s1.907 900.
'he appropriation for state institu-
tions such as the Insane Asylum.
Home for Mental Detectives. Reform
School for Boys. Penitentiary. etc.
amounted to s1.7O0.OOO Add to this
the mileage of s1.5OO.O00 for tha main
tenance and buildings of the higher
institutions of learning Of this state.
and we may see what an expensive
and complicated problem II is for the
state to handle every two years
! will just mention one item of the
long appropriation bill at this time.
The Industria Relation Commission
asked for an appropriation of about
ts115 100000 this year. This money Is
spent for the salaries and expenses OF
tho department. whose principle work
is to carry on the enactment OF the
workmen's compensation act. The
premiums taken into this department
under this act amount to more than
the cost to the state, but according to
law the state must pay the expense of