Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-16
LEGISLATIVE pRecsEpt,ss.
OIxPrA, January I4.h, 1886.

Ar. Ferguson called attention 70 an
iten which appeared a sez d .ys sin = in
voc fosT lSTkLLrGEScEH IN relation 20
reporters of the press receiving a limit
GO number OF bills sni reports. Tha
Rentiemsu remarked that while The Re
porters we're said onlv to have resolved
one eosy, the members we're ouly re
sewing txo copies. and in cOosid-ratiou
OF toe fso' that 250 PIES Of each bill
ssfe sappos d 10 De prluted, D. xoaIi
hAs - kooE what bee 4ans Of the re-
% naming copies soon after the honor
so'e gentleman introduced a Council
sins resolution directing the sergeant.-
a1ms OF Doth bosses 10 provide the
,ep'fte's With sufficient nGmher Of
Oils ana reports, and 20 extend s1ch
Other csarts-ies a. might h. ,onnd
necessary. Tse resolution vas saoDt.i
Mr.; Isascs introduced Conn.il Bill /
NO. ~, TO amend section SIP Of the
Code.
Nj Reavis introdaced Council BIZ
Of trust
Counnil Bill No. "a vas in TO ia,sd by l
Mr. Crosby. TO establish Boards of 4
county Com nissoners and DEF le their {
terms of Office.
House BIZ! No. y. tn amend section I
2aae, relating to bounties on scalps. was
tabled.
houss Bill No. l.36. relating 10 bill. Of /
laoin9 and warehouse receipts, passed. /
no1se Bill No. 81, to amend sections /
1875 and 1877 in relation to lisus, I
passed.
House Bill No. 81, relative TO county
orders being paid In priority Of issue. /
passed, Messrs- Carson, Crosby, Gabel, /
Mckay and Yous9 voting no.
House Bill M. lt6. defining the jaris |
diction OF the District Court relative 8, /
naturalizlnR aliens, passed.
The Local Option Bill vas then taken |
40 as the Special order of the day, on
motion OF Mr.. McRsavy.
Mr.. Ferguson moved that the rules be
suspended and the bill be csu-idered
engrossed and placed on its final pas
sage now. The motion being carried, |
the Chief Clerk commenced calling tn.
roll. and Mr.. Bowen answered prom pity.
No" when Judge Jacobs interrupted
Of the bill. Tue honorable gentleman
had made up his mind when taking his
seat In the Legislature to decline max
ing set speeches on any occasion. Leg
islatiou on this bill he considered as the
most important Of any ever submitted
to this body. he believed that SONS of
the principles OF this bill sh suld be
carefully Diseased before taking final
action. De hoped to be allowed the
privilege Of discussing the nattsr 80 as
TO assist IN removing any objections
Shich migh! be made G. the measure.
de wished to briefly explain Why b.
should vote for the passage of I'll is bill
de believed the members OF the Legs
lature were sent here TO defend the
rights OF the people OF Washington
Territory. IL Is IN that light that he
wishes to support the bill. The oil
and established maxim of our neri- |
csn Government is that the msiority
shall rule. That principle lies al the |
very foundation of our Amerio IN Gov
ernBent and IFS institutions. He must |
os a bold man. indeed, woo would srsu- |
that tne principle contained IN this |
maxim 10 not a good principle. Other |
governments are rulei by minorities, |
but these vernments are arIsiocratic |
IN their principles. fhe principle of |
the maj Drity ruling csn be compared e. |
the circulation of the blood. Ii the |
principle IL allowed to die out in the !
Districts. Territories aRd States, It Will
.oon show its effect in the National |
Government. Tue liquor traffic has |
rot the same found 8Iiou in right and /
justice as have other traffics. The ven
dors of alcoholic beverages have not |
the same rights as have vendors of /
other articles. Why is tnis? b.
cause the tendency OF the liquor traffi,
Ia evil continually. A thousand vesrs |
ago one OF the philosophers of X -me |
SAID that lit was letting a thief into |
the month to steal away the brains"
and the remark has gone down 10 tns /
b tse Of history, full of wisdoai and truth. |
No man can deny the fact that the sale |
Of alcoholic beverages carries with II |
destruction and misery, and creates
paupefism Of everv kind. This IS the |
obrysaiis OF every ether vice of our kiad. |
There u no civilized government In the |
world today. and there never has been /
one, that did not olNim tse right and |
power of puttine Its strong hand upon |
this practice. Hence 1t b - been tax. d. |
controlled and regulated in a IN inner |
that no other traffic has been taxed and |
controlled among civilizsd people |
These regulations have been the saving |
of the people from the dreadful oonse !
Qusnoes resulting from this tr4if,. (
Inc principal objection to be urged |
against the bill Is founded on Law |
ca kim which provides that delegate |
cannot delegate the authority vested IN |
sim-that tbs legislative power of the |
ueople Of this Territory IL vested in tue |
Legislative Assembly of the Territory,
aud that they are s1rr-ndering that
power AZ vested In them by the organic
,ct of the Territory.
Now, during the session of this body
ve have passed quite a namber of bills
investing the people OF tbs counties
With the right and authority TO iocats
their county seats. IL this II true de-
scription of the power vested IN the leg
1 Islative body, then We have the same
power to le9Islate on the Present sub
ject. Ii We have the power to delea Ate
TO the people Of those counties the right
| to DIX the county seats Of their respec
tive counties, leaving it to the people 60
| hx their county seats, it will be hard for
| the objsctors 10 this bill ~ show why
we have not the power to pass bill of
this kind. THIS bill whIcs has been
read TO Us leaves to she people within
| certain political divisioas tRe p lwer of
deciding in regard to tie sale of also
aolic beverages within that division. As
| the bill came frotl the House it VAS a
perfect and con plste piece Of legislation.
AZ the Law stands nov 1t ID required
OF anybody desiring to engage Ia the
liquor traffic thai he shall, First, pre-
| ssut evidences of good moral character.
There are osly two glasses of persons
required 10 subu IL pro Of this kind
nquor dealers anu lawyers lsuehterI
Probably in regard to the latter 1t Is
veil enough.
second. That bond shall be given.
Third, He mast present a certificate
from the proper officer that he has paid
tue amount required by lay.
Nos we are seeking 10 this bill to add
another condition. IL conditions one.
TOO and three are valid, how eau any
thing be said against apnexing another
condition, that they shall be governed
by the wishes expressed by tbs major
| isy Of the voters In the precinct most
ismed,stely affected by this sale or
srAffic?
There Ia nothing in the objection TO
such delegation as that. IL yea call il
| q delegation at all. 10 Is Dot an evasion
Of the legislative power vested by the
organic scs in this bedy. Hence the
oil is sound 30 far as that Is concerned.
| have heard ,t bruited among the
members that the liquor sellers who
have ALREADY ubt aimed licenses ext. nd