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# LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND GOSSIP After a long wrangle in the Senate last Saturday over the railroad bill, it was recommitted to the committee of the whole for further consideration. The House of Representatives put the banking bill through on second reading Wednesday. The measure has been changed but little from that as originally introduced, all of the many amendments made in the committee being in the way of perfecting it. Four bills by Senator Parks, relating to telephone, telegraph and similar franchises, occupied most of the time of the Senate Thursday, bringing on some heated discussion. All of the bills were passed on second reading by narrow majorities. The passage of the bill to cut off the salaries of members of the boards of control of state institutions has raised a point that is being discussed among members. Does the salary of each and all stop at once, or do those who have not yet served out their terms draw up to the conclusion of their time of service? The special committee of the House, appointed to go over the proposed new school law, met with Miss Cralz, state superintendent of public instruction, to listen to her ideas concerning the measure. The bill is a very long one, seeking to provide a new school law for the state. The work of the committee is to be divided, so that all sections may be carefully considered. Five sub-committees of two each will be given parts of the bill. The reports made by these will be consolidated into one. Though strong opposition has been manifested to the measure, those supporting it believe the recommendations to be made by the committee will secure its enactment. Members of the Legislature were rendered very happy Wednesday by receiving their vouchers from the state, which were duly honored and paid at the treasurer's office. The payment of the last semi-monthly vouchers had been held up till the attorney for Treasurer Bent's bondsmen had rendered an opinion on the adjournment of the House some time ago, as to whether it exceeded the three-day limit fixed by law. Attorney C. J. Hughes, Jr., was the lawyer in question, and as he has been out of the city, his opinion was delayed several days. He concurs with the opinion of Attorney General Dickson that the adjournment of the House did not exceed the limit, and the salaries were accordingly paid. The House committee on roads and bridges has agreed to indefinitely postpone H. B. 61, introduced by Mr. Dulin. This is the bill to provide for the appointment by the governor of a highway commission of three members. It was indorsed by the good roads meeting held in Denver. The Chamber of Commerce and all the commercial bodies of the state were also interested in the measure, having advocated it as likely to aid in making the Colorado highways what they should be, the best in the world. Doctor Dulin is chairman of the House committee on roads and bridges. He introduced the highway bill in the House, while Senator Drake put it on the Senate list. Doctor Dulin stated, in speaking of the action, that the influence that killed the bill came from the Senate and was so strong that, though he is chairman of the committee, the majority was against him. The House has passed on second reading the Drake bill that passed the Senate some time back. The only important amendment made by the House was to limit the application to cities, towns, villages, districts, wards or precints, whereas the Senate bill permitted a county as well as these legal divisions and subdivisions to vote on this question. Governor Buchtel has worked like a Trojan for such a measure, and he succeeded in bringing into line with him quite a number of Republicans who at first were inclined to be extremely conservative. The bill that passed the House permits the people of any city, town or subdivision to decide for themselves whether they want "saloons in their neighborhood. It was felt that to permit a whole county to be included, and have a bare majority declare that county "wet" or "dry," as the case might be, would work hardships. A county having a big city would permit that city to rule the county. In certain cases this would appear as tyranny. But great care was taken in the House to make a locality that votes anti-saloon to be dry. A drug store cannot turn itself into a saloon. In legislating against this form of hypocrisy, the House went further than the Senate, Says the Denver Republican: In the last three or four days a number of conferences have been held with reference to the local option bill. They have resulted in a compromise very favorable to the temperance people. The measure that will pass the House will be stronger than could have been expected a week ago. Governor Buchtel is given the credit for bringing members of his party a step forward. It is said that the Drake bill may be adopted in the House with a few amendments. This bill as it passed the Senate gave authority to a majority of voters to declare a whole county anti-saloon. This latitude is too extreme and might partake of tyranny. A limited application will be undertaken. The Elsner collection of minerals is to be removed from the charge of the state unless it is paid for within a short time. The collection is valued at $15,000, and is believed to be the most extensive and valuable collection of Colorado minerals ever gotten together. When Harry A. Lee was commissioner of mines for the state he secured the collection on an arrangement made whereby the state was to acquire ownership. He paid Mr. Elsner $2,500 on account, but the balance has never been paid. When Mr. White took the office of commissioner of mines he kept on with the work of trying to raise the balance due on that collection, and also to pay for the grand display of Mollie Gibson ores now with the bureau. The latter, like the Elsner collection, is unique among displays and can never be duplicated. A bill has been introduced in the present session of the Legislature to appropriate $15,000 for the purchase of the two collections. Mr. White is especially anxious to have the bill enacted, as the specimens named have won five first premiums at as many World's Fairs for Colorado. At the Tuesday's session of the House a reconsideration was had of the vote which had killed S. B. No. 88 on Monday. The bill provides for the cutting off of all salaries of members of board of control of state institutions. On the vote to pass the bill it was carried by thirty-four to twenty-four. Changes made by members ran the yeas up to thirty-eight. As a part of those who changed their vote had done so with the evident intention of moving a reconsideration at a later session, the friends of the bill moved a reconsideration at once and had the motion laid upon the table. This action disposed of the bill for all time as far as the House is concerned. Other bills passed on third reading: H. B. 155, Parrish-To add a judicial district. H. B. 57, Redd-Writs of error in criminal cases. H. B. 168, Collins-Concerning larceny. H. B. 192, Redd-Establishing juvenile courts. H. B. 210, Healy-Public printing. H. B. 229, Paddock-Concerning robbery. H. B. 244, Fetzer-For read alone grounds of home for dependent children. H. B. 249, Redd-Proving of book accounts. H. B. 313, Kelly-Deed of trust. H. B. 345, Collins-Expenses of district attorneys. The Bardwell bank investigating committee appointed to investigate three of Denver's failed institutions and to make recommendations for a law that would safeguard depositors in private banking institutions and building and loan associations, reported its findings with a set of recommendations that will undoubtedly be carried into law. The report criticises the conduct of the Denver Savings Bank from the time application was made for a receiver until that receiver closed his accounting with depositors; but the criticism is neither harsh nor the result of partisanship. It calls attention to the manner in which the application was made and granted, involving questionable methods, and the committee is of the opinion that the cost of administration was too high. Of the assigneeship of the Western Bank, there is some criticism and not a little praise; and praise is given the conduct to date of the affairs of the Fidelity Savings Association. Recommendations are put forward by the committee that if adopted as a statute will put Most of the time in the Senate Tuesday was given up to a consideration of S. B. No. 37, by Senator De La Vergne, in committee of the whole. This is the Rittenhouse insurance measure. Thirty-two out of the seventy-five sections were read and passed by the committee, with but slight amendments. There was small debate on the measure, with the exception of a rather heated argument on the question of child insurance The bill prohibited insuring children under the age of ten years, but tine age was raised to fifteen, owing to the great antipathy to this form of insurance displayed by numerous members. The amendments recommended by the committee on banking and insurance, which were extensive, were adopted without debate. Senator Booth desired to take up only the sections where there was any great difference of opinion, owing to the length of the measure. Senator Harrison made an address on the subject, reviewing the insurance investigations in the East. He said the bill was prepared by E. E. Rittenhouse, deputy insurance commissioner, who had closely followed the investigations and had drawn his measure in accordance with the best regulatory provisions agreed upon by officials in all states. He said the committee had gone very closely into the bill and the only provisions about which there had been any great question were those affecting Colorado companies. He said the present bill conforms in the main to similar bills introduced in every Legislature in the United States in session this winter and thought its provisions should meet with general approval. The appropriation committee is now the storm center at the capitol. The general appropriations bill having been printed, and its provisions becoming known to all state employes, there has been a concerted movement upon the chairman of the committee to have changes made in salaries, and, in some instances, in the amount of help given each department. Upon the top of this has come increased demands from all the state institutions for more money than the committee feels that it can give out of the funds on hand. The general appropriations bill, providing for the conduct of the state's business for the next two years, will use up about $1,000,000 of the funds estimated to be available. This will leave about $1,120,000 for all other purposes, and the state institutions will need nearly all of this. The committee has decided upon giving $100,000 over the regular ttwo-fifths of a mill to the University of Colorado, which has raised a row in that direction. And then comes another from Pueblo. That city wished an increased appropriation for the insane asylum, including $150,000 for cottages; it also wanted one for the State Fair, and another for a normal school. The committee has given $50,000 for the cottage system, and has said that Pueblo may have any one of the three things it desires, but not two of the three. And so on, through each of the items of all the bills to be
