Gunnison news-champion., 1923-02-09
Weekly Letter from
RObt. F. Rockwell
CContinued from First Papr,

ton bills. Governor Sweet was YER,
thoughtful In including me with three
or four other men in 4 committee .Eho
mat II Mr.. fershing's Office TO listen
10 the discussion Of the Cole bill PR
pared By the Municipal Research s.
Clety Of New York, the early part Of
the session. Afterwards / heard NT
PsrshIg discuss this subject tsEirc
and nave made some study on my oSu
account Of the Cole and Lambert biIls.
Next Monday noon former Speaker Of
the House Of Representatives,, AIlyn
Cole. Is 10 discuss in detail the forIrsr
Cole bills which have been before the
Legislature and in particular. the Lam
bert bill, which he, himself drew. And
wish 10 postpone the final discussion
Of these bills until | hear what M.
Cole has 10 say on the subject
Friday morning, the Senate passsd
on third reading the amended fruit and
vegetable inspection act under which
We have been working the past two
years. II this bill passes the HouSe
in the same form without change, II
will provide for optional inspection in
stead Of compulsory inspection OF
fruits and vegetables hereafter.
Senator Bannister of Grand junction
stated that 95 per cent of the grow
ers in Mesa county desired op,ional
rather than compulsory inspection
Senator Tobin Of Montrose, a fr,i,
grower himself, stated that practical
ly all Of the potato raiserS in his
district desired OPTIONAL inspection and
4 great many Of the fruit grower.
The amended bill was introduced by
Senator Colgate, n fruit grower Of
Canon City, who made similar STAT
ment Senator McFadzean, of the San
Luis valley, gave the additional in
formation that Federal inspection was
no more satisfactory than state insper-
tion. so far as compelling buyer 10
take a product Inspected at its sourrc.
ii" brought the point up as illustrate
in the San Luis valley that many time
buyer Of n carload Of potatoes in
sisted on inspection at its destination.
because Of the fact that often il Is
several weeks in transit in cans that
are not always properly ventilated
and therefore, while il might leave
the shipping point in first class shapc,
II might be in a very poor condition
when II was unloaded at its destIua-
tinn. In these cases, he argued that
the shipper ought not TO be compelled
TO pay for inspection at the point Of
shipment, II he was also compelled to
pay at the place of destination. II
was further stated that many tields Of
potatoes were sold outright and that
they should not be compelled TO pay
foT inspection. Senator McFadzrar
also said that nineteen out of the
twenty-one states that had inspection,
had optional inspection.
This law has been a source of a
great deal of discussion in the fruit
and vegetable sections of Western
Colorado. Many fruit growers feel
that optional inspection is ven little
better than no inspection wha,ever.
As the matter was brought UP here
however, Il seemed as II ninety per
cent of the fruit and vegetable men
desired optional rather than compul-
sory inspection, and the bill, as amend
ed, has passed the senate with this
provision.
In speech that l made before the
Denver Lions Club, l made several
statements which have caused some lit
tie excitement among the people of
Denver and elsewhere about the state.
wish to mention particularly my
short discussion on the tax situation,
Under the present depressed conditions
in the rural communities in Colorado.
there is. ] believe, very definite de-
mand that property tax should be re-
duced and there has been a feeling
that the state of Colorado. thru its
should make the first
start towards this reduction. We ali
that the taxes for state
including state roads, insti.
tutions of higher learning. etc. are
only about one-tenth of the average
total tax throughout the state, and
that the entire elimination of ali tate
taxes would not be very great as
sistance. However. l feel along with
the other people from the rural COM
munities that the state should make
the first attempt at a reduction in he
propery tax of Colorado.
This Is no easy task and can only
be accomplished by some drastic
change and sacrifice to some particular
department Of the state.
Practically every institution in the
state of Colorado is asking for more
money than they had two years a9o.
and must have it if they are TO carry
on their work in the future as thew
aa&Are ht NC p<ASe. Aot Instance. OuI
state penitentiary has 46 per cent
more inmates than it had two years
ago-and incidentally is the cheapest
per capita maintained penitentiary IN
the United States. Our reform school
for boys has 25 per cent more in
mates than it had two years ago; our
state hospital at Pueblo has over 1000
is maintained at the
ridiculously low cost of FIFTY CENTS
per day for food, clothing, medical
care, etc.-and it is so crowded that
there is serious discussion of NOV.
ing the overflow from Pueblo to the
Institution for Mental Detectives at
Ridge. placing those inmates at the
old Indian School at Grand Junction.
The same condition exists with our
other institutions of higher learning.
The State University at Boulder is 50
crowded with students that they can