The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-02-18
idaho LEGISLATURE
WOULD BAR JAPS
LAND MEASURE is
APPROVED BY THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
japanese Not Now Citizens, or Other
Aliens Owning Land in Idaho,
Would Be Required to
Forfeit it. n

VI LllS Stdte OI ludHO was SIrucK IN the
house of representatives of the Idaho
legislature on February IL, when that
body passed the Van DeSteeg anti
alien land bill.
If it survives the senate and is
signed by Governor. Davis, japanese
not now citizens or other aliens owning
land in Idaho will be required to for
felt 1t and hereafter aliens will be UNI
able to acquire title to land.
A measure by Bottolfsen of Butte
county, introduced in the house, is an
irrigation measure with the kick of an
army mule. 1t gives the department
Of reclamation wider powers in regu-
lating Carey act water companies, and
requires them to secure a district
court decree before reducing the
water allowance for an irrigation sys-
TEN.
Two memorials were passed by the
senate, on February IL, one of which
urges congress to pass the McFadden
bill providing a bonus of so cents per
pennyweight on gold and the other
was to President-elect Harding, asking
him to rescind the present method of
selecting postmasters under the guise
of civil service examination designed
for the purpose of keeping ."desery-
ing Democrats" in office.
Under a suspension of thhe rules
Senate bill No. lib was passed by
unanimous vote. 1t provides for the
creation of the Fremont game pre-
serve" bordering along the Yellow
stone park, and for the purpose of
further protecting the wild animals of
the park and vicinity.
Representative Bottolfsen has rein
troduced his bill to make Armistice
day holiday, which was vetoed by
the governor In his message Governor
Davis explained that the senate had by
some inadyertenc& so amended the
measure as to strike out Columbus day
from the list of holidays and requested
that the bill Ebe reintroduced with
Columbus day. included.
A review of the activities of the
Sixteenth Idaho legislature during the
past week shows that the body is be-
ginning to swing into action and dis
pose of the mountain of legislation
that has been piled upon it. A hard
blow was struck for economy when the
legislature adopted the recommends
ton of Governor d. w. Davis and re-
pealed the 2-mill road tax levy, passed
two years ago, and the medium for
raising $2,000OO0 which were spent
during the last two years on the high
ways of the state.
The Idaho state senate on February
10 passed the Witty tax exemption bill,
ate this session, by the close vote of
% to 81. e,,r-
This meaure affects every taxpayer
in the state, for it allows extension
of time for the payment of 1920 taxes
to June of the present year. The
taxes became delinquent the last Mon
day in December of last year. 1t seeks
to give relief to the farmers, because
of the breakdown of the market on
farm products.
The house bill which permits towns
and cities to exceed their budget upon
petition of majority of citizens,
passed without dissenting vote.
The state affairs committee of the
house on February 10 introduced
measure designed to make money
available in the general fund during
the biennium sufficient to pay claims
against the state as they arrive, by the
issue of treasury notes in the total
sum of $3,0Oo,oO0.
House bill No. SO, by the committee
on education, was passed without dis
cussion. 1t permits rural high school
districts to levy to the extent of 10
mills and bond to the extent of 6
per cent of their assessed valuation,
and also provides ways and means for
such districts to disorganize.
In a special message to the legis-
lature on February Governor Davis
sets forth program to be followed |
during the next two years to carry |
out the state highway program, the
legislature having repealed the two
mill highway levy law. He asks that |
legislation be passed paving the way |
for the sale of the S2,000,O00 bond
issue voted at the last election and |
that from the proceeds 90 per cent be |
distributed by alloting 60 per cent for
use on state highways in the different
counties proportionately to the
contributed by each county in
1920 and the remaining 40 per cent be
used in neutral zones.
Senate bill No. IA, by King,
in the interest of ex-service
persons, passed by unanimous vote. 1t
provides for the admission into the
soldiers home of ex-service persons OF
The late war who were honorably dis