The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-12
W. LAIR mas pRoposrrIoN.
He Speaks Of the Work Involved In Pre-
paring a Code.


Hon. W Lair nIi the emineat lawyer and
well known pnbiicist. vs. seen at his Office last
evening. aud in answer 70 the question. sWhaf
ixthe nA1are and scope OF your proposition with
regard 70 the code Of laws ef the state ef Wash
iugeng" said:
"My proposition was correctly sisted a. length
in the Pcsr-lNTElIssgEeEE and the substance
Of il IN other Of the papers. There is Eataleg
rore thar Gao fhsTk Of That Is werth saying On
the subject can only rsp a. the substance as
il hax been Published heretosoge. In response
% inquiries addressed % me 10y members OF the
joint committee o. the senate and House having
in charge this subject OF compilation Of tie
laws aud In response 60 the direct inquiry,
whether ! would be willing 20 undertake the
work, ! handed them a statement tnat thought
II could not oe done with the care anl attention
which Il ought 20 receive, considering the fact
of our transition from \ territorial 20 state
government snd the legislative measures neees-
sary 20 fairly perfect system, In less than oae
year. I estimated the cost OF editorial work, In
ciudtng annof29scns with reference to decisions.
al $4,000; and the cost Of printing at an equal
amount. The work upon which / made these
estimates Is compiling. re-arrangtng arnotaiing.
in fhe order and me bod Of a code fso far rs
p-scticshIel the laws n force and those that
may be enacted BY the present session Of the
leg!si&ture; the preparing and presenting, in
the form Of 6 bin or bills for enact
ment, OF such mod ifesiiens OF exist
Ing laws, repeais Of snpernneHs laws,
and enscting Of new sections % complete the
system now I'm existence 50 fer as necessary. aud
Of new LAWS OF c general character. - may be
required 70 harmonixe and complete, as . con-
sisieni body OF laws ali the statutes o the state
the presenting of 80 copies Of this work IN 6
eonnectsd form xepsrnte fram the btli or bills
for the enactment of moaidca repeats and
new laws printed Ia two royal oczaxg volumes,
which / estimated II $50 pages EACH with In
de1es, bouud in paper; 50 taaftae governor. The
Judges ard the me . bers OF the ltgislafure When
they convene IN JanuaFy. issl. fnsy have before
them this body OF the laws then existing re-
arranged and tile suggested new laws ia
their order, and thus be able 90 form
an intslligent opfnion, without expensive deay,
as 10 the merits of the work. And, finally. after
the Adjournment of the iegis afune Of Issi. the
incorporating into the body OF laws such acts
r. might be passed az that legislature, and the
eliminating Of sseh laws es should have been
then repeated ard the publ cation In two royal
octave volumes OF the whole bo1y cf laws ~
they shouiA then be. annotated and indexed,
and tue furnishing 70 the state Of 1000 copies
thereof. bound IN good law binding. For this
entire work / should charge tie state SIC. co..
which Il t4O9e Ieas than I estimate 70 be the
cost 9f ~ / exPecssng 70 make sf.e9a or there
sbouts ont Of the saie os the books which might
he demanded over AMI above thems furnished
the state OF course this work would go out Of
date Ia, sav, from eighf 20 n or twelve years
but up to that time there would he more or less
demand for IL.
~ Iss,aI not Be rrssvei if the proposition should
be rejected think there wonid be In IL If
adopted inst . moderate compensation s0r the
WORK done / should expect To have 70 pay
| $1,000 oatrixh' foz printing aud binding, pos
| slbsy Il.eoo / have hRursd pretty eiossiy on
fhe printing and binding. or, "a the book pub.
I usher calls II, the manufacturing bTaaeh of the
+ - a.
for sgeoeo; am quite eeTssin Il would not exceed
sl1 sDa tsoErA ia this mtxhs he ''ofF tI.o1o OF
~ III the legislature sssaid adopt the pr0pss-
silica shnnld engage In the work more as mat.
/ ser of embracing opportunity 70 have some
what 10 90 wsh Tutsing the laws Of the STATE into
regular and harmonious form. aDd assisting -
make the stnte government What ] think Il
ought 10 BE- In its avs and Institutions. thsa for
/ the pscuniary eam mpensafsen-
/ II shah noE do nor agsesnpt anything in TIE
wsy ~ p-nrn0tinx the pssssxe og the bill for eaF-
rying this PROPAGATION into effect nor any blsi On
that suhsec is Witch ! ara personally eog-
eerned. whether the work Il 70 he epne hy re
/ OF hy sosna other Fsersas. an eonTtnee3. asst
that Il eauaof be sell done By the legislature,
/ acting in tsay. ~ one salon, nor Ia fwe ses-
sions. AID see0ue. th&s no fbrek Or more men
ran - the Wugk - wsll ks one tAsn. ard thiFa.
fhas any man whe pass hlx cousclesce ipso .
pnkiis service os shss kiaa woal1 DO alass -
1 Yaueh wosk ard oaxht 70 have about rs Tneeh
conservation II be wene xnexnber - the cen.
mission of s4wNrKl persans a. &c wosia . ~
! tsok TIE whe,e wgsk upoa himself II o Der
wursss. Il each rlsFniser % naueFezs Cnpersla-
sion sheuia undertake - give tsrsonsa asfszfion
4 70 fha w0rk. tie wNole ruanleg vii sccaEn s5fah
{ no usn-e than ere anisssnnzr Wosss aeecfar~
/ lisa, and sArb of thea w0u3a 70 aseut as faneA
I a. All wsuid hsts 10 CO. IN oreEsa the sgse
/ rnssragssfssress by wkuu TIE e1mfsjatisna
/ AZ 81 ard - were pFspassd dt6 exfsiiens
I werk. beeass& ln ssch nAse iNa a she egEwie
slovers ala nor lng ard AL fss unrk wsa srTned
+ ovev 20 one-aas shsf oae Hos ~ r. btsfy.
4 was = probably The besF esalFTet fasn soE wosG
& =. a.