The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-10

inspection districts and provided for the sp-
pctntnens Of one inspector Tor each asstrie. a
an annual salary OF ST -5Ga each, payable guar
terly out OF arr moneys not otherwise spF!o-
printed. II vii be observed that no particular
fund IS mentioned from which those salaries ere
10 be paid The salaries of these officers bow
ever, which aggregate the sum Of sSleao per an.
mum. have since February, lsSs, q perlo1 ol
nearly three years. been paid from the genera
fund OF the territory and state lt Will DC seen
at glance that this is an unjust hnAneiai ex-
peclenr. imposing tax upon the people, or
property valuations II general OF the state. al
rectly in the interest OF private corporate enisf
prises.
l would respectfully recommend. therefore,
that the legislature at the earliest day possible
take such action q viii remove all dsaD. ~, e.
coal mining tax, and II the tax section DC rot
repealed. clothe the proper state officers Win
power 10 collect the tax due and to become oue.
LIQUOR LICENSE TAX.
A law 70 regulate, restrain, license or pro-
hibit the sale Of intoxicating liquors was
passed by the territorial legislature, and ap-
proved February ?, ISIS. The full purpose and
scope OF the law are clearly cmprehenced IN
the first section, which reads as follows:
SECTION l. The board OF county comm sslones
OF each county in the territory OF Washington
shall have the sole and exclusive author
ity and power 20 regulate, restrain, d.
eense or prohibit the sale or DISPOSAL o.
spirituous, ferTnented, malt or other intoxicat-
ing liquors outside Of the corporate limits OF
each incorporated city, incorporated town or In
corporated village in their respective counties
prorfitd. that the annual license fee Tor the sale
OF sIirftuous, fermented, malt or other ini0xi-
eating liquors shall, IN no fnstoace. be less than
$50 or more than 81, eo0, which said license fee
shall be paid annually in advance 10
the county treasurer, who shall pay ten
(lol per cent OF the amount into the
general fund OF the territorial treasury,
IS per cent into the county school fund. and the
remaining IS per cent. into the general county
fund: pT0ridaf further, that no license shall be
granted TO sell spirituous, fermented, matt or
other intoxicating liquors by said county COM
Hs.ssioners within one mile OF the corporate linz
Its OF any inc0rp orated city, town or village.
regret TO say that several OF the larger cities
and towns in the state have neglected and re-
fused, and continue 70 neglect and refuse, 10 pay
the states portion OF tax imposed by this law.
understand the excuses for this failure 20 pay
the suites proportion OF the tax is construction
put upon the law that the amounts referred TO and
apportioned by the first proyiso IN the section
quoted relate TO those under the sole and exclu-
siye authority and power OF the county
commissioners 10 regulate in the
county, but not included within in
corporated limits of the cities, towns. etc.
90 not believe the section is fairly susceptible
OF any such construction 1t IS simply erroneous
There is large amount OF revenue withheld
from the state treasury from this cause. Efforts
have been and are now being taken BY the state
authorities TO collect this tax.
/ respectfully recommend that the law be so
amended by the legislature to the end that all
doubt shall be removed respecting the true in
depreciation OF its provisions
SUsIc IN toSSlIilOS FUR rELoS1.
Sections 2,io6 and 2,l07 of the code OF Wash
ington, as amended by an act OF the terri
torial legislature, approved November Is, 1883,
provides fer the payment of costs in convic-
toDs for felony, and the Way and manner OF
such payment. namely, By ''credit OF the
amoant so allowed 10 the county from whence
the bill came, as so much territorial tax"
The state constitution prohibits this method
of paying claims against the state. All
claims audited and allowed must be paid by
a
bill was drafted by this Office
and submitted to the legislature at the last ses
make them in harmony with the constitution.
The Dill passed the Senate, but for some I'M
known cause fell asleep among the waste papers
of the House.
would also call attention to the large in
crease of convictions for felony during the past
year and the consequent increase OF expenses in
eident thereto.
IL is estimated that there will be a deficiency
in the appropriation for the present fiscal year,
closing March 81, 1891, OF not less than S12 COO.
The necessity for increased appropriations TO
meet these expenses for the next biennial term
Is quite apparent.
Shall there be an enumeration of the inhabit-
ants OF the state for the year 1891? This is a
question for the legislature to consider and act
upon at its approaching session. Section 2,75i OF
the code OF Washington, referring to the duties
OF assessors. provides .that it shall also be his
duty at the time OF making his annual assess
ment in 1853, and bennially thereafter, to take a
census of all the inhabitants in their respective
counties" etc.
This law has not been repealed, unless con-
structyey so, by the provisions of article ,,
ton 5, OF the constitution, which reads as fol-
lows:
sIhat the legislature shall provide By law for
an enumeration of the inhabitants of the state
in the year 1875, and every ten years thereafter,
etc.
The principal object of this provision is COM
pretended in the reapportionment OF the mem
bers of the legislature every i've years, basing
the apportionnent in every alternate FIVE years
on the enumeration made by the authority of the
United states This, however, does not seem to
restrict the state TO the ten-year enumeration, If
il otherwise may so determine.
For all practical purposes, however, an enum-
Grafton of the census IN 1891 would be useless.
The legislature has changed its time OF biennial
sessions TO about one year later, computing the
biennial terms from 1883. Ii the law for taking
the census every two years be continued in
force, the time for taking the next enumeration
Of the inhabitants OF the state should be in
1892 and biennially thereafter. This
would accommodate the legislature
successfully with one years later data in re-
spect TO the population OF the state.