Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-08-09

SEC. 1. The property OF the Unite,
States, and OF the State, counties
school districts and other municipal
corporations, shall he exempt iron
taxation, and such other places q
may be used exclusively Tor actua
places Of religious worship, place, 90
burial not used or held for private %
corporate profit, and institutions @
public charity, public libraIics, 81,
personal property to any amount no
exceeding $3.50 TO the head Of eacl
family, may be exempted from taxation
by general law by the legislature
SEC. >. All laws eXempting propcrt,
from taxation other than the propert,
above enumerated shall be void.
/ SEC. q. The power to tax corpora
tons and corporate property shall no
he surrendered or suspended by any
contract or grant to which the Stat,
shall he a party.
SEC. I. No tax shall be levied except
in pursuance of law; and every law
imposing tax shall state distinct,
the object OF the same to which only
ii shall he applied.
SEC. 5. All laws authorizing the Dor
rowing of money, by and ON behalf OF
the State, shall specify the purposes ior
which the money is to be used, ami the
money SO borrowed shall he used iol
the purpose specified, and no other.
SEC. 8. All taxes levied and collect
ed for State purposes shall be paid into
the treasury.
SEC. 10. An accurate statement Ui
the receipts and expenditures OF the
public moneys shall be published an
nually III such manner as the legisla-
ture shall provide.
SEC. ii. Whenever the expenses OF
the fiscal year shall exceed the income,
the legislature shall provide for levy
ing Il tax for the ensuing fiscal year
sufficient with other sources OF income
to pay the deficiency, as well as the
estimated expenses OF the ensuing year.
SEC. y. The legislature may vest
the corporate authorities OF cities.
towns and villages with power to make
local improvements by special assess
ment, or by special taxation OF proper
ty benefited. For all corporate pur-
poses, all municipal corporations may
be vested with authority to assess and
collect taxes, and such taxes shall be
uniform in respect to persons and
property within the jurisdiction OF the
body levying the same.
SEC. Ii. All stationery and other
articles required for the use of the
State shall be furnished under such
regulations as may be prescribed by
law, but no State officer or member OF
the legislature shall be interested in
any contract or bid for furnishing
such stationery or articles.
Mr.. Warner made minority report
from the Committee on State, School
and Granted lands and recommended
an amendment to the third section to
provide that granted lands shall, be
fore the sale of such lands, be APP
praised by Board of Appraisers and
sold at the valuation. Owners of i'm
provements on such lands shall be al
lowed to deduct the value of such i'm
prOvement from the amount OF the
sale, in case the sale shall be included
in the purchase price, and the fourth
section is recommended to provide
that n Commission shall be appoint
ed to lease or sell school lands, one
fifth to be paid in advance and the rest
in thirty years with interest. Timber
lands must not be sold, but the timber
is to be sold by stumpage. Coal lands
are to be leased for royalty and shall
never be sold. The money accruing
from these sources shall be invested in
United States bonds, and the money
used when needed for school purposes.
J. z. Moore, chairman of the Com
mittee on Legislative Department, pre-
scented lengthy report. 1t provides
that the legislature shall consist OF
House and Senate, and the House
shall consist OF not less than 63 nor
more than 80 members, and the Sen
ate of not more than one half nor less
than one-third OF the number consti-
tuting the House. The first legisla-
ture shall consist of 70 members of the
House and 80 of the Senate and shall
be for one year, and all subsequent
members of the House shall be elected
biennially, and Senators for four years
-one-third at each general election
every two years. The first legislature
to convene on Wednesday after the
first Tuesday in November, 1889, and
subsequent sessions to be held on
Wednesday after the first Monday in
January.
The Convention went into Com
mittee of the Whole on Corporations,
Bowen in the chair, and at once con-
sidered the celebrated section 81 for
establishing Board of Railroad Com
missioners, and the amendment OF
Grifiitts to the effect that the legisla-
ture may by majority vote abolish
the Commissioners, was the subject
for immediate consideration. Turner
moved to amend by substituting two
thirds for majority, which after discus
sion was lost by 20 to A, and further
amendment substituting three-fifths
was also lost, and the question recur-
ring on Griffitts amendment, Mr.. Tur-
ner showed that the Board of Railroad
Commissioners in twenty-one States
had served good purpose and reme-
died great abuses, and cited the estab-
lishment of the Interstate Commercial
Commission to show that it is both
Constitutional and beneficial, and the
Commission proposed was of like
oh NJ Ill nj, En-,
tend his remarks for it is so palpably
just and fair and righteous that he
didn't see how any one could refuse to
support a commission instituted for
the protection of the people.
Cosgrove said that the Interstate
Commission was very detrimental, and
railroad men had told him that they
wanted to make the Interstate Com
mission and all Railroad Commissioners
so unpopular as to get rid of them.
We can't afford to kill a single railroad.
Sharpstein followed in support of a
commission and maintained that the
only action taken in this Territory
was of great benefit in reducing rates
of freight, and vote being taken on
substituting two-thirds for majority it
was lost Ii to 20, and an amendment
in favor of substituting three-fifths
for majority was also defeat
ed, and the question recurring on the
Section 81 many amendments and
substitutes were offered which were
defeated. The vote being adoption of
the Section, it was lost by vote OF 90
TO 26.
Section % was next considered,
which section provides that the lcgis-
lature shall pass laws establishing