, 1879-10-23
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
OLYMpIA, w. T., Oct. 90, 1879.

pIshed, the Legislature resumed its
active duties in earnest on Thurs.
day last-since which time a large
number Of important bills and other
measures have been introduced.
Mr.. fuckers memorial to Con-
gross, in reference to establis hing a
district land office at Port Townsend
passed both Houses as we predicted
in its original form-all of which
goes to prove that Seattle does not
always have matters her own way,
even though her newspapers may
make a prodigious fuss about them.
Councilman McGlynn has intro
duced an important and msritorious
bill, which will doubtless become a
law, providing that workmen in log.
ging camps and upon farms may
hold lien upon the logs, or crops,
for the amount of their wages.
A movement has been started,
looking to change in the place OF
holding district court sessions in
Whatcom county, and decreasing the
jurisdiction of the district court at
Port Townsend. One bill, intro.
ducsd by Capt. Roedar, Of Whatcom
county, seeks to abolish the La Con.
nsr court entirely. Should this sue
ceed, an effort will then be made to
have new district created, with
Utsalady as the point for holding
terms-SaR Juan and Island conn,
ties being included in the proposed
new district. The whole plan will
and OUGHT to lin our opinion) fail Of
success. No county, except Island
COULD be benefited by such change;
and that would work disadvantage
to San Juan aud Whatcom.
Mr.. Tucker has two important
local bills through the lower House,
and now pending in the Council.
One will enlarge the boundaries OF
the city of Port Townsend - very
justly including certain property
barely outside of her present limits
and the other will turn the saloon
license money, in Port Townsend,
into the city treasury, instead of al
lowing it, as heretofore, to be appro-
priated by the county. The arga.
ments urged in favor of this last
measure, are: 1st-that the city has
to bear the inconvenience and ex.
pense occasioned by prosecutions
made necessary on account of her
liquor traffic, and she ought, in JUS
tics, to obtain the direct revenue,
arising from the traffic. Heretofore
tie city has borne the entire ex-
psnss Of her police courts, in pun
ishing drunkenness, while the coun-
ty at large reaped the. benefit of
the license money; 2d-the exam
pies of other cities are cited as
worthy precedents. II ths bill be-
comes sHlaw, it will work a serious
disadvantage to the school fund only,
and the way out of such a hardship
will have to be found by providing
other means for supplying the def
cheney.
We can but mention q few meas
ures of local interest. Others of
Territorial Importance, will be COM
mented upon hereafter; so we will
close by simply referring to the all.
absorbing topic of conversation just
now, the
LOCAL OPTION BILL,
introduced in the Counil, by Hon.
r. 0. Dunbar, of Klickitat county.
1t permits no retail license to be is.
sued except upon petition signed
by a majority Of the adult inhabit-
ants, WITHOUT REGARD TO SEX, in
the election precinct wherein the
applicant resides. The bill has
merit in it, clear through; its friends
are working hard for it, and are san
guine of its success. In the Coun.
Gil, this afternoon, it went to a final
vote, after three spirited speeches
one against and two for--and PASSED
WITH BUT ONE DISSENTING VOTE,
that Of Mr.. LaDu, of Cowlitz. Tenn.
perance people here count a fair
majority for the bill, in the lower
house although rumor mas it that a
carefully prepared speech will bo
made against it by one of tho Repre-
sentatives, and that the whisky ele-
msnt will bring all their forces to
bear to defeat it. Not desiring to
"crow" before the rubicon is passed =,
we will simply state that much arxi-
ETY. will prevail until the question is
settled. About thousand names
a. II