The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-26
WAITING FOR OFFICE.
Aspirants to Land Commission
on Anxious Seat.
SOME OF THE CANDIDATES.
4 Forecast ~ to the 0ovoRnor's Aetlon
The Places Not So Fat -
They Appear 70 BE.

OLYMPIA, March 23.-(Special. 1.-The ap-
pointments to three places to be filled on
the new board Of state land commissioners
are being watched for with great interest
by numerous asplrants. It 10 expected
that Gov. McGraw will name the commits
sioners soon after his return next week. 1t
is given out reliably that T. N. Reed. jr..
now register Of the Seattle land office.
viii be . member of the board.
1t has been expected that his father, ex-
Auditor Reed, who is thoroughly In.
formed ~ to state land affairs, would be
put on the commission. but he has evil
IDENTIFY retired in favor of his son, a. there
is no reason to doubt that the latter will
be appointed. Ralph X. Nichols and Col.
L. 8. Hewlett. Of North Yakima. are lead
ing aspirants for the second Republican
commissionership. and it is claimed that
T. o. Abbott, of Tacoma, is to be the
Democratic member of the board.
Positions on the commission are con-
sidered desirable, as the salary attached is
5000 year. and the general opinion is
that the work will not be heavy. But it Is
predicted that when the law creating the
commission is fully understood the board
will find that its duties are by no means
light. aud that the care of the land inter-
ests of the state will require great deal
Of activity. A feature Of the
commission act that may lessen
the desirability of membership on
the board is the doubtful language used
in the appropriation clauses that is caus-
ing some doubt as to the power of the
state auditor to draw warrants for the
payment of the salaries Of the commits
etn nd oil n ~ n
raise the question contend that the Ian.
guage employed is practically that con-
tanned in the university act and other
laws passed in 1891, which the supreme
court subsequently decided did not con-
stitute an appropriation. not being in
compliance with the constitutional pro-
vision which requires that the sum ap-
propriased shall be distinctly spe-
Gifted. The auditor is directed to
draw warrants and sums as stated, but it
is argued that for salaries and clerk hire
no direct appropriation has been made out
Of which to pay the warrants and that
they consequently cannot be issued. 1t
has been suggested that il the view that
no appropriation has been made is sus.
tanned that the arrangement made last
year with the land cruisers, to whom no
warrant could be issued, bv which they
accepted certificates Of indebtedness, could
be adopted and certificates issued
for the salaries of the commits
sioners and the expenses of the board.
payable when the next legislature makes
an appropriation. As the certificates, be-
ing Notwithstanding, could not be
floated at par, if it becomes necessary to
issue them. the commissionerships will
not be considered the prizes that they are
now thought to be.
Mark E. Reed. of Olympia. has been
mentioned as likely to secure the secre-
taryship of the commission, but it is
understood that he prefers the secretary
ship of the capitol commission and will be
. candidate for the latter.
TACOMA. March 25-ISpecial. l-Since it
was announced in the Posr-INrELLIGENCER
that Gov. McGraw was considering the ap-
pointment of T. o. Abbott as Democratic
member of the state land commission, OPP
position has been manifested and G. B.
Zaoriskie has been made q candidate.