The Delta independent., 1921-04-01

bers, appeared before frst the sub
committee of the assessors which was
appointed to recommend valuations
for live stock, and later the conven-
ton itself. AS result OF our recon-
mendations and advice, the conven-
ton reported the valuation on cattle
and sheep as follows:
STEERS IN BUNCHES:
One year old---------------------Sl5 to $1,000
Two year old----------------s23 to $3.50
Three year old----.----------s40 to $500
RANGE CATTLE IN BUNCHES:
Aged six months and up $3.50 to $50
Straight punches OF range COVE
$4,000 to s45
Note: Average Of all in each county
to be not less than $500.
Milk s----------.-.-------------s50 and up
Range sheep-------- to $3.50
Note: Average Of all in each county
to be not less than $3.50.
Mr.. Merchant. Delta County Asses
sor,~ Mr. Haymaker. Gunnison County
Assessor and Mr.. Dunn, Montrose
County Assessor. were all at the con
vention and all assisted very mater
Tally in arriving at these valuations.
The Highway Bill was amended in
the Senate approximately as mention
ed in my last weeks letter. The diff
ficuIties which have been so appar-
ent in the present Highway Law.
namely the necessity Of a majority
vote to decide any question and the
inability Of the Highway commissioner
to construct roads. etc, without inter
ference by the Commission-hav
been corrected in this bill, but we
still have a commission composed of
seven different parts Of the state. I'm
der this new arrangement OF the com
missioners' districts, we would be in
district No. which would be com
posed of the counties OF Delta. Eagle.
Garfield. Gunnison, Ouray. Mesa.
Montrose, Pitkin, Rio Blanco. San
Miguel and Summit-in other words.
the watershed Of the Western Slope.
The counties in the northwest part
of the state are placed in district No.
6, and the counties in the southwest
part of the state are placed in dis
trict No. 3. The contention of soma
of the papers that, in amending the
House Bill so that we have eom-
mission OF seven instead OF a com
mission OF three composed of the gov
ernor, attorney-genera1 and com mis-
sioner, which we claim is one-man
commission and that this reverts back
to the present Highway Law, is an alb
solute misstatement. Under the High
way ELL as passed by the Senate. the
objectionaI features OF the present
Highway Law wherein there is no ap-
parent responsibility and where it is
very apparent that we are not get
ting in road construction what we
spent in money-were eliminated from
the bill, and yet she provision by
which each section Of the state has
the right to representation in prepar-
ing the budget Is retained. Whether
the House will concur in our amend
ments is a grave question. but ] do
hope that we may be able to work
out some plan to get away from the
present system Of building highways
without placing 1t entirely In the
| hands of one man.
! The Reapportionment Bill appeared
before the Senate this week, but suf-
ficient votes could not be obtained to
pass It, This Bill did not affect our
senatorial district materially, because
| 1t simplyQa added Hinsdale County to
Delta and Gunnison Counties. Delta
would still have one representative
and Gunnison and Hinsdale together
one representative. The purpose oi
1 NJ thf, utI1 In In
greater representation for the more
populous counties OF eastern Colorado
This means that eastern Colorado
would receive several more senators
and representatives than she does al
the present time; and western Colora
do-especially the mining districts
would lose proportionately. The argu
ment for this reapportionment sounds
very logical from the standpoint oi
the man who lives In these rapidly
increasing agricultural sections of the
state, but what It really does is this;
It practically deprives the mining sec
tions OF the state from representation
in the Senate Incidentally, 1t woult
abolish two senatorial Districts nam'
ey, Senator O'Brlans district No.
which is composed Of Lake ant
Chaffee Counties, and Senator Slat
tery's district No. 1s which is com
posed OF the Counties Of 0uray AM
San Juan, Archuleta and Hinsdale
and these counties are divided III
among the more populous countie
near them.
As a Western Slope representative
Of course voted against the Reappol
tionment Bill even though It mean