The Raymer enterprise., 1923-04-26

ers than they have for years. That 8
all right; they were entitled to ii.
The closing hours were marked by
a deadlock, which. at times, caused ac-
rimonious debate, bitter inunedo and
fierce invective. As one old-timer said.
everybody was ready for the shooting
to begin, but out Of the smoke and
confusion there have come some excel
lent measures.
Among important bills passed. Of
which there are over 200, may be men
toned the Colorado River pact, the La
Plata River pact, the Child Welfare
bills, the Cooperative Marketing bills,
Director Of Markets bill, Anti-Discrim-
ination bill, and the blue sky law
Woodcroft sanatorium In Pueblo was
bought by the state to furnish larger
quarters for the insane, and will be Inn
mediately available for the states use.
The bill abolishing the Board of Cap
Nas pusSshs aiSp thN ~
abolishing the Board of Charities and
Corrections, the Shepard-Towner bill,
many bills for the benefit Of the state
institutions, and the long appropria-
tion blll,' carrying approximately two
million dollars.
The Assembly has been costly one,
but It has been worth 1t. The Rangers
were discharged, saving the state
above $4,000 and an appropriation
for safety purposes" such as was
made two years ago was not needed, a
great many employees lost their jobs,
thus saving their salary to the taxpay-
ers. Appropriations for various pur-
poses were slashed right and left, and
as this Is written, the conference COM
mittee Is working ON the bills affecting
the elimination of the half-mill tax
levy. which will save the taxpayers, In.
directly about S750,OOO more. The
Democrats think they have won about
everything they fought for, and the Re
publicans seem to be satisfied with the
work Of the Assembly; the people have
not been heard from. During the last
week, the teachers minimum salary
law for teachers caused bitter fight,
and In the closing hours, the bitterest
Of partisan feeling was engendered.
chiefly because Of the attitude of the
Senate on the reduction Of the mill levy
and the appropriation bill. On various
items, the governor came In for bitter
criticism. Senator Coss of Walsenburg
charged the Republican breastworks
with fierce invective, Senator Tobin
surprised the native by his attack on
Hill, the farmers representative, and
In the House Axel Johnson of Denver
was accused Of 'bolting' the Repub.
lican party, and Abe Pollock "explod
ed several times, while Bob" Elder
of Leadville, led in filibuster that
failed. When the hair wasn't flying,
the water was flowing. Several visit
tors were fined for "breaking the
rules" and the cigars, apples, and can
dy, sometimes accompanied with
songs, marked the last day and two
nights of the Assembly's work. II will
long be remembered us one OF the
stormiest sessions in the states his
tory. In this case, II was the Senate
that played the part Of the dog in the
nanger.' Several good bills were
killed, not because they lacked merit,
but in political trades, and the people
be-damned" attitude seemed TO be the
watchword. Good advice to the people
is, when the next election comes, ito
look well to your ballots, and vote ac-
cordingly."
The farmers are not the only ones
aided by the Legislature. The miners
compensation was raised from ten to
twelve dollars a week, teeth were put
into the minimum wage law for wom'
en-. and fund appropriated to enforce
the law, which is badly needed. Sew
eral game refugees were created, the
herd law" died In the committee, also
the policemen's proposed pension fund
bill, the firemen's civil service
bill, the car distribution bill, and
the car limit bill. All these
bills passed the House, and all We're
killed by the Senate.
Governor Sweets code bill was lost
the Lambert bill was vetoed; the reso-
luton to investigate the condition of
our state institutions, and departments
of government was voted down, and
the governor was denied u sum OF
money to have 1t done. He was, how
ever, given the amount he asked for
Law enforcement purposes. All this
was done by strictly partisan vote;
the responsibility for 1t good or Ill ef-
iects can easily be fixed.
The Assembly has adjourned; the
members are mostly glad to 60 home
though, personally, we have enjoyed 1t
greatly, and like Longfellow's brook.
wish II had gone ION forever" 1t Is
great school for the study Of human
nature. As for the people, we think
they will be glad II is over, and will be
ready to sing the doxology. In con-
cIuslon. have a ciRar."