Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-01-09
WASHINGTON.
Acting Governor IaughtOn'S S
Message.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS MADE
FavOrs Publishing the New
Laws i'm the News
papers.

lature was very long anu ulscusseu
state affairs Intelligently and was
received with tumultious applause,
The passage censuring the land de
partment atWashington for refusing
to survey lands in the state and de
claring in favor of the election oi
United States senators by the people
were applauded by nearly every
member.
The duties Of the executive office
In the absence of the governor, are
imposed by the constitution on the
lieutenant governor, who, as acting
governor, submits this message to
the legislature. He proceeds:
AS the second legislature Of the
state of Washington, the people con
fidently expect that you will, so faI
as may be possible, by legislative en-
actment, judiciously amend such
laws as may have been found in eff.
.ficient or contradictory to their pro.
visions, and enact such other laws as
will conduce TO the harmonious and
successful working Of our state
Government.
CODIFICATfoN OF LAWS.
AT this period of rapid develop
ment our system Of laws cannot he
Zoo carefully considered and con-
structed in order that there should
be reliable basis upon which to ad-
Indicate all cases that may from
time to time arise. Every enactment
of new laws, should strengthen the
foundation of our government.
ELECTIONS.
The law entitled "An act provid-
ing for printing and distributing
ballots at public expense, and to
regulate voting at State and other
elections" approved March 10, 1890,
otherwise known as the Australian
ballot law" seems to have been emil
nently satisfactory in its operation.
Changes in, and amendmentst to this
law will, however, doubtless be sug-
gested by more familiar acquaintance
with its practical results.
CONVICT LABOR.
Section 80, article 2, of the consti
tutiou, provides that after the first
day of January, 1890, the labor of
conviets of this state shall not be let
out by contract to any person or cor
poration. You are required to pro.
vide for the working Of convicts for
the benefit Of the state. This man
date of the constitution should be
Obeyed by the speedy enactment OF
a law giving appropriate effect to it.
/ shall refer more fully to the en-
ployment OF convict labor for the
benefit of the state in considering
questions relative to the pepjtenttary
at Walla Walla.
FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.
The question as to whether the
line of text books used in the COM
mon schools should be purchased
from the public fund, instead of by
the parents or guardians of the chill
dren, merits the attention of the
legislature. The text books are az
necessary part OF the equipment of
the school as the teacher or SCHOOL
building. The public pays the one
and builds the other. Why not also
provide the books? The purchase of
the needed text books Ia q heavy
burden on the wage-earper, who has
TO face the problem Of rearing and
Educating a large family of future
citizens on a small and precarious
Income. 1t is true that the law pro-
vides for the purchase of text books
for the children of INDECENT persons;
but What American GltIaen will will
ingly sign a statement virtually COP
Tossing himself paper? An an
nual saving of from $40, 900 to $50, 900
can be made for The people in the
purchase OF the necessary text books
by the state.
BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AGRICUL-
TURE AND IMMIGRATION.
The constitution provides in arti-
Gle 2, section "a, FOR the establish
ment In the Office of the secretary
af state, of a bureau of statistics,
agriculture and immigration.
1t is Resdless for Ble 10 enlarge
upsn the importance of the creation
Of such an Office, aud the beneficial
Influence it would have on the devel-
opment of the resources of the state, |
by the publication Of authentic
printed matter, setting forth to the
Intending settler and Investor the
advantages Of the various sections
of the state and their adaptaGllity
for particular industries.
STATE BUILDINGS.
1t is recommended that measures
be taken for the erection at Olympia
Of a state capitol and such other
buildiugs as should be erected at the
capital of the state.
NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION or LAWS. ,
i recommend the advissbility OF
providing for the publication OF each
law Immediately after its approval
~ the newspapers Of the state.
believe that such provision would
more fully tend to carry out the
spirit Of our constitutions.
COLUMBIA RIVER.
Our state possesses Jointly with
Oregon one OF the grandest rivers In /
the NunFln IL