The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-20
AGAINST THE PARTY.
Republican Leaders Denounce
Laughton's Course.
ThE STATE IS BETRAYED.
what members Of tho King County Leg
sislativs Delegation Say Of the
Accidental Goyernor.


other railroad bills has reused great indig-
nation among the members Of the King
county legislative delegation. The men,
bcrs generally express the opinion that
Nj. Laughton has broken the pledges of
the Republican party and has proved
traitor to il. Without exception the legis-
lators rcpudiate his action. Expressions
Of ali the members who could be seen yes
tcrdAy are given below:
Senator John II. Kinncar said: "The
vetoes Of Acting Governor Laughton have
been . great disappointment to me, be-
cause all the bills were reasonable, and
were demanded by both the party and the
people irrespective of party. The anti
Pinkerton bill got through the Senate all
right, but representative of the Pinker-
tons watched it in the House, and there
was sharp fight before 1t passed. The
preamble declared that in view of the fact
that the state is now maintaining an eff
cicnt militia and police force to protect
property of citizens. it shall be
unlawful for any corporation 10
employ bodies Of armed men for
such purposes. The measure was not
harsh one and it was specially demanded
by the people in the mining districts.
have heard no reason for the veto, nor do
belcye that good reason can be given.
The bill was in accordance with a clause
In Che state constitution. Another vetoed
bill was that making railroads fence in
their track so that cattle shall not run
over the tracks. At present good many
cattle are lost in this way. The stock
raiscrs in tho eastern part of the state
asked for such measure, and
they were certainly entitled to it.
A third bill TO which Mr. Laughton
objected was that compelling railroads
running very close TO each other to build
= connecting track for switching cars.
This bill was for the enforcement of sec
tion Is, article II, of the state constitutions
and contained almost the exact words of
that clause. Surely the lieutenant COVER
nor could not have objected to this bill as
unconstitutional. The attn was to make it
unnecessary to unload freight from one
r0ad and carry il by wagon to a road near
BY. The arguments given III the veto of
tile Wasson railroad bill are very
childish. That bill provided that
rates in grain, feed, hay, MILL
Btufls and melons should be reduced Is
per cent, and that for a distance of 500
miles the rate should not be over s. a ton.
That made the rate IS ton to the sea-
board from the eastern part of the state,
instead Of - as at present. The roads,
however, could fix the schedule under s. for
intermediate points. That bill would bring
the wheat and a large amount of the other
ayr cultural products to the Sound cities
for shipment; IL would directly interest
the farmers OF the EASTERN part OF the state
in the Sound countries, and they would
look 10 US rather than to st. Paul and Chi
cago or Duluth. You can see what q large
benefit such bill would be to both ends
Of the state; but the railroads didn't
want il.
The railroad men in the legislature had
agreed that the bill was satisfactory and il
was passed upon basis of compromise.
So We all supposed it would be signed. The
talk about the bill being unconstitutional
is puerile. The state constitution sane
tons the legislative control of railroad,
canal and other transportation companies.
In our sister states such laws have been
passed and put in effective operation for
years. The best control of railroads is
found by experiment to be by means of a
railroad commission. This WATSON bill
was not severe measure, but only the
small end of a wedge that will end in the
establishment of railroad commission
with powers such as those possessed in
other states. The bill though not all that
was asked for by the farmers really would
have done quite good deal and would
have been benefit to all parts of the
country.
''The fact that all four bills affecting
railroads were vetoed is certainly signif-
cant"
Senator Frink said: II went TO Olympia
opposed to any legislation that might af-
feet the railroads unfavorably and retard
their work in building up the country, but
the Wasson bill seemed perfectly fair, and
voted for it. | know that the railroads
would not have objected To the Is per cent.
reduction on few leading articles, and
the reduction would have been gain for
the farmers. The acting governors argu-
ments against the bin are very lame or far
fetched. 1t was not in his province to de-
eide upon its constituiionaiity. Heis sup
posed TO be the executive, not the judicial
branch of the state government. The bill
was passed upon by legislators more ca
pahle OF Judging OF its constitutionality
than Lieutenant-Goyernor Laughton is.
HIS objections TO the bill are purely imag-
inary-at least those he makes public are
and furnish no excuse for his veto. His
F WV Vi tire AMIR iihtIton Dill Is an out
rage. If the people of this state cannot be
protected without calling in the assistance
OF paid mercenaries, they should be given
more power. To put the matter
in q few words. Mr.. i.aughton's
vetocs show that he is willing
TO go FAR out of his way to truckle 10 corpor-
afions, and that he cares nothing for The
people. The anti-Plnkerton bill was car
ried by practically unanimous vote, and
q large majority of Republican members
we're warm advocates of the Mason bill.
We're Mr.. Laughton acting rs a representa-
tive of the Republican party. his action
would be very damaging. but he is not in
that capacity. The feeling of the party
was shown in the vote taken upon the bills
in thc legislature
Senator rrusten Z. Dyer: al am very
sorry that Acting-t;overnor laughton has
adopted this course toward corporation
bills and am certain that he does not
represent the position of the Republican
party. Ii he thought the Wasson railroad
bill Was unconstitutional, he could have
left tina. matter to the decision of the
courts. Certainly the railroad could have
appealed 10 the courts for relief from the
law, and were the bill unconstitutional.
the court is the place for the question 10
he decided. The vetocs will certainly do
great damage 10 the Republican party un-
less steps are taken at once To counterfeit
their effects"
Senator Ruttcr said: ~ favored the
passage OF the WATSON bill, believing it to
he reasonable legislation I Shauld not