The Colorado statesman., 1923-03-24
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STATE CAPITOL
NEWS LETTER
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OF William Il. Leonard $1,000 and the
heirs of Harry Hall $6S6.75 for inheri-
tance tax wrongfully collected.
A debate between members from
the mining and from the farming dis
tricts over bill raising the pay of
the state commissioner of mines, fea-
tured a recent session of the State
House of Representatives. The meas
ure raises the salary of the mining
commissioner from 81, 500 year to $2,-
500
A saving of many thousands of dol
lars in the expense of running the
state government penal and education
al institutions the next two years is
predicted by members of the appro-
priatiOns committee of the State House
of Representatives which is drawing
the long appropriation bill for the BIZ
ennial period. While the bill will be
one of the last ones acted upon during
the session, the members have been
working on. it since the General AS
sembly convened.
There is much interest in the Legis-
lature over two measures placing auto
transportation companies under the
supervision of the Public Utilities Com
mission and requiring that all who
haul passengers or freight for hire
carry liability insurance. A measure
combining the best points of the two
bills now has been drawn. The meas
ure provides that no auto transporta-
ton company shall operate n motor We
hicle for hire between fixed terminals
or over IL regular route without first
obtaining permission of the utilities
commission. The Public Utilities Com
mission is vested with the power to su-
pervise and regulate all auto transpor-
tatiOn companies operating between
fixed points and can fix such safety
rules as it sees fit.
The administration code bill, intend
ed TO reorganize the state government
by abolishing seventy-two boards and
bureaus and consolidating the work un-
der nine departments was defeated in
the State House of Representatives.
The failure of the bill to pass on sec
ond reading leaves it on the table and
| 1t will take II two-thirds vote OF the
! House to bring it up for consideration
| again. Democrats will not attempt to
| do this as they consider the action
taken by the Republicans as final. The
administrative code bill, having been
| defeated, Republicans will rush the re-
drafting of the Lambert bill and 1t will
| be placed on the calendar in short
| time. Governor Sweet said that If the
Republicans passed the Lambert bill
he would consider ii with an open mind
and that if it appeared that it would
accomplish the purposes intended in
| the right manner he would sign it,
The cooperative marketing measure
passed the State House of Representa-
tives on second reading by unani-
mou vote and without IL word of de-
bate The measure legaliZeS the for
nation of cooperative marketing as
sociationS and one of the important
provisions declares that their contracts
shall not be declared in restraint of
trade. 1t was drawn by Aaron Sapro,
nationally known cooperative market
| ing expert, and is similar to law now
on the statute books in seven states.
| Colorado has cooperative marketing
law ut present, but according to eN-
perts it is inadequate to care for CON
ditionS that now exist. The speedy
passage of the measure was surprise
to its chief proponents. Instead OF the
argumen $ that met the bill in the Sen
ate no one even offered to explain the
measure and it passed unanimously.
No bill considered by the House mt the
! present session has passed with so few
words being spoken.
Governor Sweet vetoed II. Il. No.
511, which would have provided pre-
ferred payment for drafts and checks
deposited in other banks in case OF Il
bank failure. In the letter accompany
ing the veto, Governor Sweet said that
he did not think it just TO make banks
or trust companies preferred creditors
over individuals.
A warning to Republican members
| not TO hold the Lambert bill too long
before reporting it out of committee
has been issued by Governor Sweet.
Il very much hope that the Legisla-
ture will not hand me the Lambert bill
ut the eleventh hour and expect me to
sign or veto it without due delibera-
| tion," Governor Sweet said.
S. B. 425, by Senator L. f. Girard,
Republican, Boulder, is known as the
blue sky law, though legally Intended
TO be known as the securities act, was
passed. 1t is designed to end all stock
selling schemes in Colorado and has
been declared to be Il most effective
! bill. The main point is that pros
pectus must be filed with the secretary
of state setting forth all the facts
| about the firm, money TO be paid the
promoters, officers, capitalization and
the like.
Determined opposition to stringent