Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-03-05
Senate Passes Bill Which Pro-
vides for Preparation Of Ce-
ment and Materials for Ida
hos Highways,
BACKED UNANIM oUSLY'
Effort Made to Amend the Two
Mill Road Levy Bill Fails
Suggestion Made That It Be
Sliding One Giving Board
Jurisdiction.

Permitting the state of Idaho to en-
gage in the manufacturing of cement
. and other road materials, to purchase
property and erect manufacturing
plants, the senate Tuesday afternoon
passed a bill by the state affairs COM
mittee of that body appropriating $751;
900 for the purpose.
This is said to be the first time in
the history of the commonwealth
that it has made provision to enter
activities which have heretofore been
confined to private enterprises and
should the bill pass the house and be
signed by Governor Davis it would
mark an epoch in the state.
According to Senator Yeaman
chairman of the state affairs commit
, tee in his explanation to the senate the
bill would empower the department of
I public works to establish cement mills
where that product would be manufac-
tured for road purposes. There were
no dissenting votes in the senate on
the measure.
After having passed house mea-
sure yesterday establishing rules for
the lighting at night of vehicles which
travel on public highways and provid
ing for road rules in the use of horns,
the senate backed up today and killed
the bill. The reason for the action
WIS stated to be that farmers driv-
Ing teams and caught out after dark
y ould be forced to carry lights
both front and rear of their convey
ances. In support of the bill Senator
Porter of Latah said that it's pro-
visions protected the farmer more
than any other class because he was
the one who drove automobiles.
The senate killed another house bin
by indefinite postponement. The bill
would have made Il closed season on
all game in the Lewiston orchards and
would have placed a continuous open
season on Chinese pheasants. Senator
johnson moved the postponement and
explained that while there were too
many Chinese pheasants in the Lewis
ton orchards, that it was hoped that
the game department would trap them
) and send the game birds to other sec
tions of the state where they were
needed
REFUSE TO AMEND BILL.
An attempt by Senator Adams,
chairman of the finance committee,
to amend the big two mill levy bill
from the house which would accumu-
late $1,S00,000 for road purposes by
specifying that the levy be made a
sliding one providing that the state
board of equalization could set the
levy at either one or two mills, failed
of passage.
The effort to amend the bill proved
the sensational feature of the day
Senator Adams claimed that consulta-
tion with the sitting committee and
the administration had brought out the
point that the government might pass
legislation which would provide road
funds on the basis of two for the gov
eminent to one for the state and that
the appropriation might not be need
cd There was instant opposition
Senator Wedgewood said, II don't care
what the government gives, we ought
not to levy less than two mills" Sen
ator Robertson of Washington said he
was certain that II the state carried
out the proper road program the levy
must be two mills and asked the ques
ton, why delegate the authority o
setting the amount of the levy to thu
board of equalization" He added tha
1t was not his understanding that sucl
o request had been made by Governor
Davis as stated by Senator Adams.
This bill is the biggest piece of con
s,ructive legislation in this session ant
< should not be crippled" said Senator
Armstrong.
Senator Lee of Bingham county be