The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-09

I the utmost diligence that the various officers
during the past year have been shie 10 discharge
The rra, tn,x " aues anu kysp psrs wss
quarter The amount of work in these depart
ments IS already enormous. With the present
rate OF increase OF population, with new indus
tries springlng up, aud the consequent increase
OF olnetal business of every Kind, their duties
Viii De largely augmented in the next two years.
10 facilitate the work in these departments
/ every provision should be made TO insure suf-
/ nclent number of competent assistants at sal
aTy liberal enough 10 command the services of
thoroughly qualified men. An examination into
| the workings OF the different departfcnts re-
yeais the TACT that the clerical force provided by
law Is insufficient and poorly paid believe 1t
provide tor an increase of the present clerical
/ force III the following departments, viz: State
anoilor, secretary OF state, state treasurer, land
commissioner, superintendent Of public fnstruc-
ton and adtutant general recommend also
that the supreme court be allowed an officer TO
attend its sessions, serve its mandates and other
processes and perform such duties the court
may recommend. 1t Is undesirable that the state
| should practice the utmost economy in all mat
tiers pertaining TO public expenditure, con-
/ sistent with the public good, and that super
/ Huogs and unnecessary clerical force bc pro-
vided Tor the various public offices; but il is an
unwise and disastrous policy To allow the de-
tails of state work to suffer because of an in
adequate force of poorly paid assistants
recommend that this matter he examined
lnto and that sufficient appropriations be made
70 enable the various state officers TO employ
such clerical force as will insure the prompt and
| satisfactory discharge of their public duties.
SALARIES OF COUNTY OFFICERS
BY an act OF the legislature. entitled "An Act
classifying the counties according TO population,
enumerating the county officers, fixing the sala-
ries thereof, providing for deputies collection of
fees and payment OF Salaries the counties of
the state We're divided into twenty mine classes,
according TO their population given in the
official returns of the federal census of fs9e, and
the various county officers were to receive a
larry ftsad dor tarf ala 70
which the county belongs.
An examination of the rates OF salary for Off
GERS In counties from the twentieth TO the
their compensation is Fidiculously small, and
the force which they procure with Ii is en-
t,rely inadequate to the proper performance of
the duties of their respective Offices.
1t is highly essential that the various counties
OF the state, in their present rapidly expanding
business condition, should have officers who
are thoroughly competent and fitted TO perform
their duties IN way promotive OF the best inter
esfs OF their respective counties The compen-
sation for such services should be sufficient to
induce men of intelligence and capabiilty to
aspire for these offices.
For these, among other reasons. thorough re-
vision OF the present Law should be made; for
upon the perfection of the details of county
government depends, in great measure, the
perfection of state government.
APPOINTMENT or COMMISSIONERS BY THE GOV
ERNoR.
The power delegated to the governor, both by
citizens OF the state as members of commissions
having in charge the business and control of
our various eleemosynary, educational, penal
and other state institutions, does not, in my
opinion, subserye the best interest of the state
from the very nature OF their duties, the
various state officers expected TO- and should
be more familiar with the details OF these insti
tutions in their reference TO each other and to
the state than commissioners selected at large.
The governor is now vested with authority to
appoint commissioners, whose average compen-
sarion is S per diem. with additional travelling
expenses while engaged in the business of such
commission This amount aggregates, yearly,
thousands OF dollars, from which a large part
can be saved by such revision OF the present law
as viii transfer these duties to the various state
officers. who as er-Qficio boards, should manage
the business of these institutions without other
compensation than actual expenses.
In making this suggestion, would not be un-
derstood as depreciating the services OF the gen.
tlelnen who now compose the several commits
sions The honest and earnest service they have
given the state (some of them suffering
pecuniary loss in so doing, merits our COM
mendation; but the system itself not only en-
tails an unnecessary expense on the state, but 1t
is also cumbersome in its operations. The
patronage in these appointments ifiniudiciotIsly
or unscrupulously used, would vitality affect the
very foundations OF the usefulness OF the insti-
tutions themselves.
leave this matter in your hands for such con-
sideration and solution as you deem proper.
NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION OF LAWS.
Intelligence, just nberality and an impartial
recognition of the rights of the whole body of
citizens, should characterize our newly created
state government Such publication of our
legislative enaetments, as would afford oppor-
tunity for general and thorough acquaintance
with and corresponding conception OF their pro-
visions and intent, should be provided for.
Under the present system from three 70 six
months must necessarily elapse after the adj
journment of the legislature before the publica-
ton and issuance of the bound volumes of the
laws passed by it. They are then in such form
and issued in such limited number that the
great body OF our citizens, though desiring to
know the laws affecting their liberty and their
material interests, practically denied posses
sion OF them. Each citizen bears his burden of
the expense of maintaining the state govern
ment and he is entitled to all the rights and
privileges OF citizenship. Not the least of these
is, that the laws of his state be published in
form accessible to him. Through the newspaper
that universal medium OF information every
citizen of Washington can become well informed
of the laws which govern him.
In view of these reasons. aud without entering
into the consideration OF others equally appar-
ent and cogent, recommend the advisability of
providing Tor the publication OF each law imme-
diateiy after its approval, in the newspapers of
the state. j believe that such provision would
more fully tend TO carry out the spirit of our in
situations
PRINTING REPORTS OF VARIOUS STATE OFFICERS.
The laws authorize the printing of but few of
the reports OF the heads of departments of the
state government. II is the custom to print in
pamphlet form a number of these sufficient only
that law be enacted providing for the printing
OF the reports OF the officers OF each and every
department OF the state government including
its various public Institutions; that such NUM-
Der be printed IN pamphlet form may be
deemed necessary for legislative use and dis
tribut!on throughout the state; and that the
state printer We authorized TO reserve 800 copies
of each report, which should be substantially
bound and published as an appendix to the
journals OF the House aud Senate.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
recommend that the state purchase the stem
ographic reports, fully transcribed, Of the pro-
eeedines of the late constitutional convention;
and that the state printer be authorized to print
at least 900 copies of the same, To be bound in
leather. such number thereof TO be distributed,
and such number reserved for future use as you
may deem proper These volumes will be OF
value to our legislature and courts in consider
ing the various questions submitted TO them
They will throw q food OF light upon the intent
OF the trainers OF the constitution, and thus aid
materially in giving a correct Interpretation TO
provisions whose meaning may not be free from
doubt
COAST DEFESsEs.
One Of the cardinal principles OF enlightened
governments is 10 protect the rights OF the gov
erned. For neglect 70 protect these the gov
eminent is justly censurabie. Our present lack
of coast defenses, leaving exposed 10 foreign in
yasi0n the commercial seaports OF this state, Is
subject that should receive the immediate con
sideratioa OF congress The waters Of Puget
sound deserve especial attention. They embrace
about 100 miles Of shore surface On the shores
OF these waters have risen the chief cities Of
Western Washington, whose combined p0pula-
ton is nearly one-half that OF the entire state.
They afford direct ocean communication with
the world. They have become the great high
way OF an extensive, far-reaching and rapidly
increasing commerce. Some idea OF the inpor-
lance of this commerce IN the past year can be
obtained from the following summary, for which
1 am indebted to Hon. C.. VI. Bradshaw, collector
OF customs at Port Townsend:
ENTRANCES OF VESSELS