The Holly chieftain., 1923-02-15

Housei!
Strange and curious things happen.
House Bill No 6S was on the calendar
the other afternoon, providing that
school directors of each school district
be required to display the American
flag on holidays, and providing Il fine
of one dollar for not doing so. THE
BILL WAS VOTED DOWN. And this
is Colorado, I'm told!
The chief problem here is that the
taxpayer is trying to get out from un-
der terrible burden; and the fellow
that has anything coming wants all Of
it, and n little more, especially if 1t be
an appropriation. The members are
between the devil and the deep sea,
and some of them can neither run nor
swim.
One difficulty here in our work Is
campaign promises, pledges and plat
forms. Members make these obliga-
tions, and when they come here, they
are face to face with breaking their
promises, or voting against their con-
science. A gullible public is partly re-
sponsible for this. In the campaign
candidates are urged to make platform
pledges, which every honest person
knows they cannot fulfill; when they
come here, their hands are often tied,
and they cannot render the best serv
Ice, as n result. Let our readers think
this over. We in America have long
platforms; in England they hold an
election on one issue, oftentimes
One bill has been favorably acted
upon in the House, for the lab0rer,
raising the compensation due him from
$40 to So per week, and the time re-
duced from ten days to seven. One
has been acted upon favorably for the
farmer that which provides director
of markets. with various other good
features in the law. The next two
weeks will see several fine measures
enacted into law.
The Senate is plugging along Re
Gently, in one forenoon, they passed
fourteen bills; pretty good for the SEN
ators-and they were good bills, too.
The Rangers are no more. Feb l,
the governor discharged them; on the
9th the House passed the appropria-
tion bill to pay them
The work of being a legislator is
tiresome. Many members are early at
their desks; and, counting committee
work, are often in hard mental work
for ten to twelve hours; often they
walk the floor, go to the lobby for II
smoke or chat with some friend. The
other day, it is reported, an old citizen
from the mountains came in, looked
around while. without saying word,
and then drawled out, Hell, and they
get seven dollars day for this kind
of work. He didn't know that same
body of Legislators had saved the tax
payers many thousands Of dollars that
very day by reduced salaries and up
preparations. Someone Is always
watching on the Rhine" and when
one gets tired, the other takes his
words of the French soldiers ut Yer
dun, "They shall not pass" and some
legislation Is doomed.
The House is attracting most atten
tion, we think but we say, watch the
Senate; 1t promises to be the grave
yard of several bills. and some of them
without appropriate memorial serv-
Ices, we fear. Over there, Coss gets
"rolled" about every day. Senator To-
bin has been the "bull" in legislative
affairs this week; and Senator Adams.
of record-breaking service In years,
looks quietly on, as If to say, BE care
full, children; don't break the china"
The Assembly has Its human side
Representative Smith of Jefferson
county has been i'll for few days in
n hospital; the members appointed the
three lady members of the House to
take up collection, and get him flow
ers. And when new baby came to
the home OF one of the members, well,
we don't know whether 1t was flow
ers, or spoon; but the baby had bet
ter not disappoint the Democratic fa-
ther. Then, on Halloween night, Bert
Lake of Denver has invited his assocl-
ates to Halloween party. These lit
tie affairs help to dispel the monot-
ony of legislative life.
Some of the bills up in the imme-
dinte future will be: Placing fire de-
partments on civil service, If the local
cities want it; policemen's insurance
bill; non-compulsory vaccination bill;
Of the movies, railroad
bills, appropriation bills, the market
Ing and administrative code bills.
Oh, yes, even the chaplain gets
"rolled." too, and we are sorta glad to
see some one else get II. Some of the
Democrats don't like his little verbal
bulletins that he sends up to the
throne of the Almighty each morning,
because they have such ii strong Re-
publican flavor but RAIDER is all right.
He knows who needs prayin' for.
Some of the members are getting
tired, though the session is hardly
half over: not so with this scribe. We
are as happy as two doves, sittin' side
by side on limb. We like our job