, 1889-08-01
An Attempt Made 60 Abolish the Veto.
OLYMPIA, July &c. ISS!

An Attempt Made 60 Abolish the Veto.
OLYMPIA, July &c, 1899.
TIE regular order of BUSINESS was the
consideration of the report of the com
mittee on the executive department and
pardoning power
There was smooth sailing until section
18th was reached. This section pro-
Vides that all measures passed by the
Legislature, shall, before becoming a Law,
be presented to the governor for his APP
prOval, and in case OF his disapproynl il
shall require two-thirds of the members
to pass the law over the governors veto.
This section seemed TO be singHIarly
objectionable to the delegates, for hard
ly bad the reading clerk finished read
ing the same, when two or three Of the
members presented amendments.
Mr.. Power, of Skagit. was the first to
catch the chairman's eye, and conse-
quently his amendment was first con-
sidered. He desired that Instead of re
quiring two-thirds, vote for the legisla-
ture to pass a law over the governors
veto, that it should be three fifths.
Mr.. Browne, of Spokane, moved to
amend the amend ment, so that it should
require only bare majority.
Mr.. Weir ably defended the pro-
visions of the section. Unfortunately the
other members of the committee did
not lend that aid in the debate that was
due to Mr.. Weir as chairman OF the
committee.
Some of the most prominent delegates
who participated in this discussion, !,
were Judge Turner and Mr.. Griffiths in
sustaining the position of the committee
and Mr. Warner and Mr.. Crowley
against the section.
Both the amendments were defeated.
Mr.. Brownies by vote OF Is for, 49
against, Mr.. overs by Il vote Of 30
for, 10 Il again,t.
Mr.. Weir deserves credit for the nan
ner i'll which he successfully carried
this measure through.
The delegation from Port Townsend
were divided, Mr.. Jones being in favor
of the abolition o. the veto power, ard
Mr.. Weir aud Mr.. Willis II against.
Mauy of the delegates Iouked upon
the veto power as pernicious aud a relic
of barbarism and monarchial form OF
government. That it was putting too
mach power into The hands of one man
\ number of the delegates did not
| think that the governor was any better
able to determine whether the law was
unwise than the Legislature.
incline to the opinion that much al
the talk upon this question was for the
purpose OF effe t. Continually were the
delegates referring t. the rights o. the
people. l am confident that many VIII,
weIe in favor of the abolition of the veto
power, did not care any more for ;bt
rights of the people than due@ society
belle for bonnet that is out of sen on
They were posing, ard hoped to throw
dust lot" the ewes of their cnusti ueLts
Many committed the worst kind u
dema2ugcry. You would judge fr,,u
| their bombasiic uiterances that they
were luvefs of the people and that the!
r-.mHned awake at night that the!
might evolve from the recesses of thei
mighty minds sumo scheme to pruven
the rights of the people from being
menaced- More specious GcmagoEerl
We have seldom witnessed.
This convection is attempting TO sad
die the convention with many iunoVs
tons Doubtless the delegates cHnno
rid themselves OF the idea that in then
resides the wisdom OF all past ages
Surely if Jefferson, Washington anC
Franklin believed the veto mower q wis
measure, then The deiei ing
toms constitutional C DHlt
do The same.