The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-09
THE LEGISLATURE.

THE LEGIBLATURE.
The second state legislature of WASH
ington, which ended its session late Sat
urday night, or, to be accurate, very early
yesterday morning, sat sixty days, con-
sidcrcd 7O7 bills and enacted 165 laws. In
addition, it elected United States sena-
tor and investigated an impeachment
case and rendered judgment upon the
same. All things considered, it was .
fairly industrious body, and while, un-
questionably, it left undone some things
that it ought to have done, its record is ex-
ceptionally good. The record Is printed
on another page in the form of list of the
enactments, with synopsis Of each.
OF the many good laws enacted, perhaps
the one Of most wide-reaching importance
is that concerning the revenues of the
state. The prominent feature Of this en-
actment is the exemption Of credits. This
has always been the policy of the state "a
fact which is largely responsible for its
recent extraordinary development) but in
this measure this policy is confirmed and
made definite. II fixes the fiscal practice
Of the state directly in opposition to that
of Oregon, seeking to profit in the future
as we have done in the past by getting
both our own and Oregon's share of the
money which comes to the Pacific north
west for investment. For this excellent
measure the whole legislature deserves
commendation, but Senator Forrest Of
King and Representative Plummer of
Jefferson are entitled to credit as its chief
compilefs and promoters.
Next in importance, if not, indeed.
equally important, is the measure Of which
Representative Mckay of Skaglt was the
author, providing for the location and Sc
lection by the state of lands granted to it
by the general government. Under the
rapid progress Of settlement, the best lands
are being taken up, and the government.
and not the state, is the direct beneficiary.
Mr.. Mckay's plan to send out expert
cruisers to make locations and for the
officers of the state to file upon these Sc
lections was a simple, easy and entirely
satisfactory solution Of a very much vexed
and very vexatious problem. An inn
portant measure, somewhat analogous to
this, was the provision for a geological
survey. If arrangements can be made for
the proper and economical expenditure Of
this money, we'll and good; but geological
surveys are usually frauds, and it behooves
the state authorities to look well into the
disbursement Of this fund.
The provision of 100000 for an EXPOSE
ton of Washington's resources and prod
ucts at the Worlds fair was an excellent
outcome Of a much mooted project. To
have given less would have been unjust to
the interests of the state and to have given
more would have put an unnecessary
burden upon taxpayers. The appropria-
ton made by our representatives while
the representatives of Oregon gave MOTH
ing, significantly illustrates the difference
in public spirit. enterprise and all essen
tials of progress that characterizes and
marks the contrast between the two states.
The question of state policy, upon which
there is the widest division of sentiment,
is, of course, the railroad question. There
are almost as many separate and distinct
theories respecting railroad regulation as
there are separate and distinct interests in
the state. The situation is difficult one
--on the one hand we want to encourage
railroad building, while on the other,
we want to reduce the profits of railroad
operation. The one interest would give
the railroads unlimited license-the others
would hold them down to terms which
would leave small profit or no profit at
all. In such situations, the safest policy
lies always between the extremes, and the
legislation OF the session just ended is
fairly upon this middle ground. Its chief
effect will be respecting grain rates from
the fields of Eastern Washington to tide
water, and these have been reduced about
| Is per cent. From the remote sec
tions the reduction is even gre alter. An
| effort was made to create, prac-
| tically, a system of common points"
| in Eastern Washington, where freights
| originate, just as the railroads
have created system of common points
| where freights are delivered, at points on or
| near the seaboard. The idea is novel
| one and the railroads will undoubtedly
| denounce it as irrational and grossly un-
| fair, but what is sauce for the goose is
| sauce for the gander, and the rule is at
| least worth irving.
Many other enactments of especial merit
| might be named-as the community prop
| erty law, etc, etc.-but they are fully ex-
| planned in the summary printed elsewhere.
| Ii is sufficient to say that the legislature
worked with fair diligence, and that it did
not make an extravagant or useles appro-
| priation. Whatever its faults. they are of
| omission rather than commission.
OF this class especially notable was the
failure to pass the several bills necessary
| to make the state code n homogeneous and
| consistent body of laws. For this omission
it is impossible to give a reasonable ex-
cuse. The work was cut out by the code
commissioner-there was, in fact, nothing
TO do but TO give formal sanction TO q
series of bills whose propriety was uni
| versally admitted. The legislature spent
its time doing other things and these bills
were laid over, and as consequence We
shall for two years suffer the annoyances
growing out Of code whose several parts