The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-02-07
Reporting the State Business
BY MARK A. SHIELDS


That next week will be fruitful In
the way of legislation and of mean
ing discussion is the opinion ex-
pressed by the solons OF both houses
here today. The new members who
came with the jaunty suggestion
that we Finish up in forty days and
go home," are now impressed with
the fact that it takes more than that
length of time to digest the several
hundred bills that are introduced.
II do not understand all these things
and want time to know what they
mean and what their effect will be
and the whole legislative session is
too short to do that completely" said
one senator the other day, and; he
expressed the opinion of a large num-
ber Some of the colder heads"
have been kidding" the boys with
the hope of a fifty day session, but
such brevity is unlikely.
The legislature has gained time
by letting the committees work
slowly on measures and get definite
ideas of them. At the same time,
both bodies are now becoming FESTIVE
on the question Of delay This was
evidenced Tuesday when the efforts
of a number of senators to defer
final action on the repeal of the two
mill levy was defeated by close
vote. The majority OF those who
wanted the measure recommitted
also wanted the repeal passed, but
wanted time to get a line on the
facts concerning the highway depart
ment In the debate the depart
ment was caught between two fires
and Jared badly. Those wanting de-
lay said that they had been unable
claimed that they had made an hon
est effort to do So On the other
hand, those opposed to delay as
serted that there had been plenty of
time to get all the facts that could
be secured and added that if the
highway department was unable to
furnish data by this time it would
not be able to furnish it during the
session. Both sides declared that
tItf wanted ali tli6 ldCISt 4,
The report was that the Democrats
had agreed to vote for the recommit-
ting, but if this were the case, Sena-
tor Harding of Oneida left the reser-
walton, for he. voted for taking it up
at once. Senator Van Heusen, the
Democratic leader was one of the
five who voted against repeal on its
final passage.
This measure was pronounced the
most Important piece of legislation
SO far, by Senator Kirrick in an in
terview after the senate adjourned
for the day. He said that while he
favored leaving things in commit
tee until they were thoroly digested
there, he was glad to see this great
step taken at once toward the re-
trenchment and redeeming of the
pledges made the people when the
100000 bond levy was submitted
and carried He declared that while
it might have been true that this
pledge was not emphasized during
the campaign in some quarters it was
the understanding of the voters in
the great populous centers and with
out it the house would have been de-
feated. The senator averred that
this was the first great step taken
toward retrenchment and lower
taxes.
The most effective speech from
some points of view, was made by
Senator Thomas of Bingham, on this
question. Senator Jones, of Idaho,
who led the forlorn hope in favor of
the maintenance of the two mills on
the statute book stressed the fact
that the Republican party of, which
he was member, had pledged the
people to build the north and south
highway. Jones denied that he had
heard that the two mill levy was to
be repealed, but said that the other
pledge for the highway was part of
the state platform. He drew the con-
clusion, in inference, that the repeal
of the tax would mean the dropping
of the highway project. Thomas
came back with the statement that
both pledges were equally binding.
The record of the senate showed that
the purpose of submitting the bond
issue was to get rid of the two mill
tax, and therefore, that was binding.
The other was equally binding and
the highway would be built in &C
cordance with the Republican pledge
and without undue delay. This
promise changed some votes from the
northern part of the state on the
final vote, in the opinion of many.
The county school unit bill pushed
by Representative Hall of Oneida
was defeated Monday, after an elo-
quent and somewhat acrimonious de-
bate. The opponents of the measure
pledged the house that another
measure curing the alleged defects
Of the proposed law would be intro
duced. Hall made a powerful plea
for the measure. Callahan, of Sho-
shone, who led the opposition
claimed that the measure did not
give any assurance that the money
raised by the two mill levy proposed
would reach the districts needing it.