The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-20

lican votes. / was surprised to learn that
Laughton had vetoed the bill. His expia-
nation in his message is very lame ard
shows that he drew on his imagination for
his reasons. His veto of Senate bill 10,
or the anti-Pinkerton bin. as il is better
known, is a strange proceeding. The bill
was demanded by thousands of our citi-
zens, and they are askHg why 1t was
killed by the acting governor. | am not
able to answer them for do not know
why he should perform such an act. 1t Il
unaccountabIc.'
Senator w. f. Forrest said: ~ aim very
sorry that Governor Laughton has vetoed
the railroad bills and | think he has made
very grave mistake. The WATSON bill
was calculated to relieve the gram growers
Of Eastern Washington. 1t was a COM
promise measure and very mild in COM
parison with the one brought over from
the other side OF the mountains. | as
sisted in tho passage OF the bill and with
other Republican members hoped that the
governor would sign ii. The other rail-
road measures should also have been
signed and do not think the governor
has given good reasons for not approving
them
Representative Lawton said There
were no sound reasons for the veto Of the
Wasson bill The subject was thoroughly
talked over in the House and the measure
decided to be fair 10 all interests con-
cernei. felt that the farmers east of the
mountains deserved to have something
done for them. As IL is. their wheat is
taken TO Chicago for 9 cents btrshel more
than IL costs to bring il to the Sound, alto
gether too little difference between short
haul and a very long one. and difference
that the Sound country feels to its defri-
inent, as well as the wheat-growing dis
tricfs At the same time we could not af-
ford TO he severe with The railroads, for we
want them to continue building. The
Wasson bill. IS il passed finally, was not
considered harsh by the railroads, and 1
am certain il would have stirred up no
opposition. so far as It's constitutionality
is concerned. there is no question about
II. The measure was considered in the
legislature by mcn just as able rs the act
Ing governor 10 decide whether il was con-
stltutionaI or not. and they said it was all
right. The an:i-Pinkerton bill was very
important measure, in favorof which the
sentiment was very strong. It is bad
showing for this state when the acting
bic 10 control themselves without the help
OF paid detectives. ! have seen no reason
given Tor La,ighton's action in vetoing this
bill. and the act is beyond me. One thing
IL cerlain--he is in no sense the represents
ativc OF the Republican party, and these
two yctoes will settle his political future.
Should he ever run for office again. he will
&c showed under so deeply he could never
be dug out"
Representative George 4. de Steiguer
said: "Aciing-Governor Laughton's veto
OF the WATSON railroad bill is one of the
funniest things have ever read. The
reasons are absurd. He says that the leg
isiative and executive power of state
should as far as possible assist the citizens
OF its sister states, and help the general
government to pro tect the citizens of such
sister states against unjust discrimination
Mr.. Laugiiton also says that the people of
the state can have their grievances righted
by the interstate commerce commission.
Now 1t is evident that the interstate COM
merce commission can only regulate COM
MERGE between the states, not within the
state; and the WATSON bill was to regulate
commerce within the state and beyond the
reach Of the interstate commerce commits
sion. Then, again, the governor wants to
protect Oregon. Idaho and Montana when
he talks about assisting the citizens of sis
ter states, yet commerce between Wash
ington and Idaho and Montana is under
the control of the interstate commission,
That contradiction strikes me as being
absurd. We all expected that the WATSON
bill would be signed. 1t was good COM
promise between the conflicting interests
We worked very hard over the bill. and
though it did not give the farmers east of
the mountains all they wanted. still they
were fairly we'll satisfied with it, for they
regarded 1t as q step in the right direction.
Acting-Governor Laughton has certainly
gone squarely against his party. l think
that an extra session at which railroad
bill can be passed may be necessary, if we
hope to retain the farmers vote from the
east of the mountains"
Representative j. |. Adams said: at
is fact worth noticing that the acting
governor vetoed all five of the bills affect
ing railroads.&c. WATSON bill, the two
railroad fence bills, the bill compelling
railroads to make connections with other
roads, and the ti-Pinkerton bill. So far
as | remember these bills opposed by the
railroads are the only ones that were vetoed
rather a curious coincidence The in
dignation east OF the mountains is very
strong; and if the railroads do not lower
rates voluntarily fail to see how the Re
publicans can do justice to the farmers
and hold them To the party without an
extra session. The position into which
the party has been placed by the acting
governor is certainly most unfortunate
Representative j. s. Sallee said: 1.-THE
vetees of the anti Pinkerton and of the
Wasson railroad bills are directly contrary
to the Republican party policy as shown
by action in convention and in the legisla-
tnre. The Republicans have done their
hest to give good railway law The Was
son bill, while not all that the farmers
could ask for, certainly did much for them
and pleased them. And now the acting
governor has overturned the whole plan
on which much labor was expended. /
feel very indignant. Ny own beliefs that
we shall have 10 hold an extra session
when Governor Ferry comes back 1t is
absolutely necessary for the Republicans
to do something 10 relieve the farmers
Representative Edmond s. Meany said:
zone of the striking features of these
vetoes is that all of them were bills op-
posed by the railroads. That fence bill,
for example. was a reasonable measure.
and was generally regarded as such. The
history of the WATSON bill. in brief. is this:
The Fellows railway bill was first intro
duced and then amended beyond all recog-
milton, so that no one cared to father it
and push il. Then the WATSON bill was
framed as compromise. At first it cut