Gunnison news-champion., 1921-02-11
REPRESENTATIVE COwEN
WRITES FROM LEGISLATURE
Den,er. FebrIAr. : rs2I-

laa.H % ~ AFa-= A=s-4h- OF anu
day from ten 70 twenty bills arr con
s.drT.d. Most Of the measures passed
20 date are ones recommended and
drawn BY the statute revision com
mIttse named BY the last legislature.
These are bills TspealIng statutes now
on the book which have been declar-
ed unconstitutional or refer 20 matters
which are no longer in existence.
Perhaps the only objection that can
BE- found with the statute revision bills
are that they are 20 limited in number
There are about fifty Of them. while
! think Il there were about 500 they
would come closer 20 repeating all the
dead timber now on the statute books.
Two measures that were passed on
final reading IN the house last week
that will probably Be interesting 10
the people Of Gunnison county con
cerned live stick mentioned these
bills last week as having passed second
reading but they now have passed the
second reading and will 20 on 20 the
Senate for consideration. One requires
brand inspectors TO collect a fee not
70 exceed five cents for all horses, cat
tie and mules inspected. Another re-
quIres railroads to notify brand in
spcctors Of stock shipments At the
present time the shipper has TO notify
the brand Inspector.
The resolution calling for q lcgisla-
tive investigation has been adopted by
both the Senate and the House. There
were but a few dissenting votes 10 this
proposal in the House but a rather
spirited fight resulted IN the Senate.
However Il was passed and the com
mIttrc 90 probe the Institution has
=
APPOINTED Ezra y. Dickcrman Of Lead
Vile. ". D. McG.nnls Of Wray; and
Chas. 4. Likins Of Canon City on the
committee. Mr.. IIkens is one of the
seven Democratic members of the
lower house. Lieutenant Governor
Earl Cooley has appointed Senator
Ollie Bannister Of Mesa County and
W. +. Renshaw Of Clear Greek county
on the committee Bannistsr is a Dem
ocrat. He is making efforts TO get
of the committee as he says he does
not relish the job of probing the
School of Mines.
Thomas II. Kelley Of LaPlata coun-
~, the veteran Democratic member OF
the lower house, Is very in. He Is
confined ut the Tilder Institute suffer
ing with auto intoNicatlon- He will
probably not be able TO start work
aga for several weeks. His illness
has prevented the bringing up again
of the james -Robeson election contest.
However, when ne gets back on the
floor, il will be brought up and II is
very probable that the votes will be
counted.
am Il member Of the railroad com
mittee Of the House and we held q
very interesting as well as exciting
meeting Monday night. 4 public
hearing was held on q bill by Repre-
sCntatIvcs ilcadlee and Edmisten, dem
Ocrats, TO bring about a system Of
reciprocal dcmurTagc Under it's pro
visions railroads would be obliged to
pay fee Of $500 per car for dcmur-
rage, If they failed TO deliver cars
within a reasonable time, as requested
by the shipper. For FIVE cars Or less,
the railroad must have the cars ready
at the shippers request within IS
hours. For from five 10 twenty-five
cars, ten days is given for the delivery
Of the cars. The shipper must pay
the railroad $500 per day per car II
he fails to load within IS hours.
The bill would be q very good one
for the farmer and live stock grower,
/ in my opinion. Railroads, however,
are opposing it with all their might,
and they have such a powerful lobby
that believe that the measure is go
ing 10 meet its death in committee
Dave Howe is the leader of the rail-
road lobbyists.
Public camping grounds purchased
by the state and county along the
highways Of the state, are provided
for in measure by Representative
Nerdemocr of Mesa county, that pass
ed.the house on final reading this week.
Perhaps the most spirited fight of
the session so far, was over a bill to
repeal the present headless ballot law.
II would re-establish the old ballot
whereby all the candidates of one par
ty could be voted for by writing in the
name of one party at the top of the
ballot. Discussion of this measure
took almost half a day and many
members made speeches on il. In
spite of strong opposition from the
progressive element in the Republican
party, the bill was passed on final
reading. II may not meet such a
happy fate in the senate however.
A bill of much interest to mining
men has recently been printed. 1t was
introduced by Senator Renshaw of
Idaho Springs. This measure pro-
NldeS tnat iOie mining ClaInS snoulu
be made 600 feet wide. Counties,
. however, could change the width by
vote at a regular election.
The Senate last week voted to pass
the Elliott -McFeadean bill, abolishing
the railroad commission, when it came
up for second reading. This bill is be-
ing bitterly fought by those who wish
to see the tunnels bored through the
Continental Divide. A vigorous fight
will be made to prevent its passage
on third reading, but it is probable
that notenough support can be must
cred to defeat it. From what l can
learn in the House, the measure will
pass there. A new scheme is being
devised, however. by which improve
ment districts can be formed and the
tunnels bored and paid for by those
counties directly benefitting from the
same